Sometimes they Come Back
by diddly day
Summary: They were supposed to be dead. They were supposed to be forgotten. But now they're back. And they have some unfinished business with Leon and Claire. . .
1. A chance meeting

**_Sometimes they Come Back _**

**_by diddly day_**

**_Disclaimer: A rights belong to Capcom. Resident Evil does not belong to me. I have made no profit writing this story and will not for future purposes._**

_**Note from the Author: I wrote this story very long ago and I decided to revisit it recently. I was surprised by how much my writing style has changed and how immature my author notes were. Of course, I was a teenager. I was even more appalled to see how awful the formatting was for this story. Once upon a time, before many of you were probably even old enough to play Resident Evil, this site wasn't as user friendly as it is now. Formatting was a little bit more difficult to do. I applaud anyone who actually stuck it out and read this story because I couldn't imagine reading it myself. I actually had to go back and fix it. I also added a few new things here and there. Not much, though. Please enjoy. I hope you find this story a fun read.**_

**_Chapter One:_**

_No._

_Not the Prison._

It hadn't changed. She was there again. In the cold, dark, dank cell. The faint odor or mold and the dead lingered in the air so strongly, that it penetrated her tough. Always here, always like this.

Sure, sometimes it was different. But not enough too free her of the horrifying memories that still haunted her. She closed her eyes, trying free her mind, and think clear.

_CLANK!_

Something was there. Breaking her concentration like glass, she could hear the unseen being inching it's way across the stone floor. The lengthy draw of its body mixing with dust and blood. The wet, scratchy noise was getting louder with every sound of movement.

Her legs suddenly felt like the roots of a tree. Stuck in the ground until chopped down by the creature that was lurking forward. Every second that passed was a moment more to her doom. All the times that. . . Thing. . .moved meant the clock was ticking to her end. To her demise.

_To her death._

Beads of sweet dribbled down her temples as her mouth went dry. The stinging sensation was now clouding its way into her eyes. Every time. Always here. Suddenly she could feel its hands on her legs. Crawling up her as if it were a snake. Her throat tightened as its icy hands grouped it her neck,cutting of all the air to her lungs. Its breath. The scent of maggots and dirt and dead washed over her.

It was getting harder to breath. Her mind was fogged with utter hopelessness.

She could never fight back. The Thing slammed her head back into the stone wall. Her cries echoed in her mind, but filled the air with eternal silence. Its icy hands got colder as her heart pounded in her chest. Her throat was now begging for mercy. She was getting dizzy. Knowing what was happening next, she braced herself for the fatal bite that would ruin her. Vessels popping. . Darkness.

Instantly her lungs screamed for air, as the fresh cold night breeze satisfied her desire. Instead of feeling the harsh stone beneath her, she was suddenly surrounded with soft warmth. Her Head wasn't smacked up against the wall, but resting on a fluffy pillow. Opening her eyes, her muscles relaxed as she faced the popcorn ceiling. Moonlight spilled in like milk as it hit her through the open doorway and out into the hall. The whisper of the tree softly hitting her open widow calmed her heart.

Relaxing, she closed her eyes.

It was only for a second. However, a second was all she needed to swear to all things holey that she saw the shadow of a dead creature creeping its way into her room as she fluttered her eyes open once more. Switching to auto piolet, she shot up in her bed. Her arm reaching for her gun, but instead, met only the glass of water that she could feel spill on her skin and hear shatter into a thousands pieces onto the hardwood floor.

"What the hell?" a man's voice filled the room. She could feel the warmth that was surrounding her move, and the room was filled with light. Her head whipped around to find he sweetest sight.

"Claire? Claire what's wrong?" Leon sat on the edge of his side of the bed still holding onto the lamp next to their bed. That was the deal. He got the lamp, she got the alarm clock on her side.

Claire looked back to the doorway. The shadowed had vanished. She sighed and shifted her gaze back to Leon who was staring straight back at her with an expression of fear, confusion, and anxiety. She covered her face with her hands and felt dampness on her cheeks.

She hadn't realized that she was crying.

"You had another one didn't you?" Leon asked. Even though it was a question, his tone told her that he already knew the answer. Hands still covering her features, she nodded silently.

"That's the fourth one this week," he muttered, still worried.

"They're getting better," Claire stated quietly.

"We both know that's a big lie."

Claire's eyes fell down to the broken mess by her bed side. She quickly grabbed a tissue and gracefully slid off the bed, beginning to clean up the glass.

"Did you break something?" he asked.

"Yeah, my water glass. At least it's the alarm clock I threw across the room the last time."

She knew the attempt at a weak joke failed, because instead of hearing Leon's soft laughter, she felt his gentle hand on her back.

"What was your nightmare about this time?" his voice was full of calmness and love.

"The same thing every time. Ah!" She jerked her hand away from the glass she had just sliced her hand on. She could feel Leon's body jump behind her from surprise of her harsh movements.

"Dammit!" Claire whispered to herself.

Leon was off the bed in one swift motion. She covered her wound in another tissue from the box that she kept close to her bed. Leon left the room for a moment, but was back within seconds, holding a wet washcloth, and a bandage.

"Here, let me see," She let him grasp hold ofher hand. "Ow."

Despite Claire's sudden depression, she giggled a bit.

"My, what big words you use."

"'Ow' is the only thing I can come up with. That's what your hand looks like. Ow," Leon smiled and continued to clean her cut. They stayed silent for a moment, both lost in thought.

"I'm worried about you," he broke the silence.

"I know."

"But?" he always knew there was a but.

"But you worry too much," Claire finished for him. He bandaged her wound, then turned and finished cleaning up the mess on the floor.

Claire got off the bed and paced slowly around their bed. She stopped as she felt Leon's strong hands slide around her shoulders. Running them from her shoulder blades down her forearms and then gently grasping her fingers. His right hand stoked her injured one, as he twisted her wedding band with his left. His warm, moist breath on her ear, she shivered.

She moved in surprise at his fiery lips brushing her neck. A tingle ran down her spine as he brushed her soft hair away from her shoulders. One of the few times she wore it down.

"I love you," she breathed.

"What can I say to for you to know how much I love you?" Leon asked as he turned her around to face him.

"Don't say anything," She slid her arms around him in a tight embrace. Pressing herself against him. "Show me."

His lips met hers in a moment. Tenderly at first, then giving into their passion as she pulled him down to the bed. For the rest of the night, Claire Kennedy was content.

_**I I I**_

"Kennedy! Wipe that grin off your face!" shouted Rick grinning as he walked into the office.

"Sorry Rick," Leon said as he shuffled through his papers.

"You got some, didn't you?" Rick said sitting down on the edge of Leon's desk. Leon just smiled and nodded.

Ever since Leon had gotten almost run down in a drug deal a few weeks before, his department had offered him a desk job for a limited time. Just until he settled himself in his new position. The post traumatic-stress that he was under after Raccoon had almost driven him into a horrible depression. If it hadn't been for Claire. . . .

"How's your wife?" asked Rick.

"Claire? She's okay. . .I guess," Leon's smiled faded at the mention of her well-being.

"Still having the memories, bad dreams, nightmares, whatever you call them?"

"Yeah," his answer was short. This was Rick, always butting in.

"So? How is she handling them?" Leon bit his lip, leaned his chair back, and looked straight into Ricks eyes.

"She's a lovely person every day. Calm, cool, and happy, but when the night comes, that's when the ghost come out."

That should hold Rick over on the cop gossip he let himself think, but deep down, Leon really did need to talk about it. It was always there in the back of his mind, and as for Rick. . . . for some odd reason, he was grateful.

"Maybe you should take her to go see a shrink," Leon almost burst out laughing at that comment.

"Yeah right! Claire would go nuts if I suggested that."

"Just something to think about," Rick smiledas he walked out.

Just how was he supposed to pitch that idea to Claire?

_Honey you need help?  
_

He couldn't do that. It wasn'thow he felt, anyway. She was an strong person. And therapy was now considered a healthy way to let you anger, aggression, or problems out. With Claire though, she had a lot of pride. She would think asking for help would be weak. But then again, maybe she would go as nuts has he thought. They had only been married for six months. He thought he knew her pretty well by then. Nevertheless, he was always finding out new things about her. He loved that.

He'd never forget how their relationship blossomed. Slowly at first, but then sucking both of them in. To the point where they couldn't go back to the friendship they had before. They didn't want to. He had never felt like this before. What he loved most about his marriage with Claire, was that he knew that his feelings were reciprocated.

She had been so quite when he met up with her after she had busted out of being captured in the Paris facility. Although she and Chris never talked about it at first, Leon knew something terrible had happened to Claire. Her voiced never wavered when it came to talking about it. Her eyes still sparkled. No, it was something else that told Leon how effected Claire had was.

How deep were her scars? It was in the way she walked, she never stood tall, proud. Her voice became softer, and she was more and more serious every day. Little things that no one would ever notice. But he did.

All Leon could get from Chris was something about some guy named Steve. A kid who had helped her escape. Leon owed that kid everything. Even if he did make it plainly clear that he was in love with Claire. However, if it hadn't been for him, Claire wouldn't be here. With him.

He thought that Claire was also in love the kid at first. He had suspected that she had fallen head over heels for Steve. But that all changed one night. He'd never forget.

_He had found her in the kitchen at her brothers house. At first, he had thought she was getting something to eat, or writing a letter to Sherry to ask how things were going. But then he heard her soft sobs, sniffs, and gasps of anguish. His heart broke and every one._

_"Claire?" he asked._

_All noise that was coming from the kitchen suddenly stopped. He could picture Claire shifting in her seat._

_"Yeah?" her voice was strong, but he caught the hint of a slight quiver._

_Poking his headin the kitchen, the sight of her made him want to cry._

_There she sat in her PJ's, hair down and tangled, eyes glazed over and red, leaving tear streaks down her cheeks. She had never looked more beautiful. They just stared at each other for a moment._

_"I couldn't save him," Claire choked out. Leon came over to her side. She looked away as her heart broke in front of him. "I'm sorry I couldn't love you the way you loved me," She whispered through her tears. And Leon knew she wasn't talking to him._

_He just held her all night until Chris found them both asleep the next morning, Claire in the chair, and Leon half on the floor, half on the chair with his arms around her. It was that night that he had fallen in love with her_.

Leon had always wondered when she had felt that spark of love in her for him. She had joked once or twice about it.

_"From the moment I saw you pointing that 9mm in my face, ready to blow my head off, I knew you were going to be the man I would spend the rest of my life with."_

"Go home Kennedy," Ricks voice once again interrupted his deep concentration. "You looked wiped. I swear, even at a desk job, you still work too much."

Leon nodded and began to gather up his things. Friday was coming and he was thinking about taking Claire away on a long weekend. Just to get away from the stress of life. Maybe they could go up to his friends cabin by the lake. He had just started to shake the thought from his mind as he walked to his car. He pulled out his keys to unlock his door when he realized it was already unlocked. His eyes then focused on the tape setting on his dashboard.

Betting ten to one that he couldn't dance to it, Leon popped the tape into his cassette player. Fuzz filled his care for a few moments. His heart pounded in his chest, burning with curiosity, and fear. The pounding in his heart just about stopped as he heard a familiar voice ring out into the air.

"Albert Wesker is now unstoppable. He has recently dumped working with Umbrella, and now continues to work for a unknown sponsor."

_What the hell?_

"As it is a suspected a rival of Umbrella, this new incorporation has given Wesker some sort of injectionto make him. . . ."

There was a pause. . .then.

"_invincible. _But everything has a weakness. Wesker has now set out to destroy all the S.T.A.R.S members. Killing each one off, one by one."

Leon's blood ran ice, as he identified the low, husky, monotone, feminine voice. No. It couldn't be. Not now, not after all this time. It just wasn't possible. He jumped as he heard a knock at his window. His blue eyes trailed it's way to meet the pair of Asian brown that awaited him. There she stood, after so looked almost just as he had remembered.

"Hello Leon," she spoke slowly to him, stretching out her words to let him know she was really there.

"Ada?"

He could barely breath, it was like he was face to face with a ghost. She smiled.

"Get my message?" The casualty in her voice shocked him. How could she just walk back into his life, after betraying him, and act so calm? The startle in him soon became igniting fury.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He practically jumped out of his car and slammed the door with such force that it even made him uneasy. If his anger bothered Ada, she didn't show it.

"I take it you aren't happy to see me."

"Wha-how did you. . .you died! I saw it! You feel down that shaft!"

"Things aren't always as they seem," Ada muttered softly.

"You betrayed me. You died to me when you fell down that hole." Leon's anger matched her own.

"My gun wasn't loaded. I never intended to hurt you," she trailed off. Leon stayed mute. His nostrils twitched, and his eyes blazed and she continued to gaze back at him.

"But you used me. You used me for the G-virus. And if it came down to it, I know you would have left me there to die. If you had to," his words hit her hard.

Her mood switched rather dramatically.

"Do you want to know what I have to say or not?" the impatience in her voice was unmistakable. Leon shut his mouth again.

"I came here to warn you. Albert Wesker is now more powerful then ever. He's going to come after you, and all the other S.T.A.R.S members, or anyone who survived Raccoon. That means you. I need your help to stop him."

"I don't believe you," he stated simply. She gently took his hand. Opening her mouth to speak, she halted when she saw what was on his hand.

"You're married?" she said instead at the sight of his wedding ring. He nodded.

"Six months," she stayed dumb. "Do me a favor and stay away form me, okay?" he said as he started to get back into his car.

"If he comes after you? He'll come after Claire."

He stopped. How did she know?

"Burn in hell," he said before he slammed his car door. And sped off, leaving his tiers screams echoing in the parking garage.

_**I I I**_

"Leon?" shouted Claire into the empty house. She had just gotten home from work.

Between working in med records at St. Luke's Hospital, taking tella-corses at the college, and Leon, she was about ready to pass out. She refused to sleep, because sleeping meant it was becoming increasingly harder to thinkof joyous thoughts. Anything to take her mind off the repulsions of Raccoon. Or anything else related to Umbrella.

One of her favorite memories was when he asked her if she'd have him as her husband. It wasn't anything spacial. There was no love poems, or romantic dinners. No ring, or public announcements. Just them.

He had come over for dinner at her and Chris's house. He had acted a little nervous, she realized, looking back on it. After everyone else had gone to bed, accept the two, for fun Claire pulled out her brothers old guitar. They laughed as they made up stupid songs. She would give him an odd topic, and he would have to sing a song about it off the top of his head. She didn't think anything of it when she asked him to sing one about them. And that's how he asked her, through a song. Of course, she didn't have to think twice about what the answer would be.

Another memory was of when she broke the news to her brother. That was a fun one. He had been out working on the car. He was standing on a ladder getting tools from his tool box out in his garage when he asked her how her day was.

_"Fine," she had responded._

_She told him on how she had gotten an A on her final, and how she had gotten praised at work by one of her co- workers. About the old lady flipping her the bird on the freeway. Just as she was about to shut the door to the garage, she threw in,_

_"Oh, by the way, Leon and I are engaged."_

_Behind the door she could hear Chris falling off his ladder._

Those memories where the only thing that kept her sane sometimes. At night, when her mind would stray, she would think of them. And then, if she was lucky, drift off into a peaceful sleep.

"Leon?" she called again. She then saw the blinking light on the answering machine.

"Claire? I'm coming home. I just had a shocking run in. I'm a little freaked out. I'll be home as soon as I can. I love you, bye."

Shocking run in? The disturbed tone in Leon's voice made her just as nervous as well.

She stopped. Something was creaking upstairs. It was coming from their bathroom.

Carefully, she grabbed Leon's baseball bat that he kept behind their bedroom door. Where was his gun when she needed it? Walking slowly to the bathroom, she could hear someone. . .or _something _shuffling around. She eased the door open ever so slightly. The shower was on. Her hand trembled as she pulled back the shower curtain. . . .

Only to find no one there.

Letting out a relief sigh she turned to leave when she saw something hiding behind the open bathroom door in the mirror. Before she had the chance to turn around, she saw the description of a beautiful woman. That was the last thing her eyes held as the stranger struck her. Making her head hit the now shattering mirror.

**_To be continued. . ._**

**_A/N: Oooooo! Cliff hanger! Aren't I evil? I hope you liked it. I'll continue, if I get good reviews that you guys liked it. If not, I won't waste my time. I don't hate Ada or Steve, after all. . .she did save my freaking life as Claire at the end of RE2. But she's any easy target for a bad guy. Very different from my last fic, huh? Sorry for any typo's I was in a hurry._**


	2. The usual suspects

_**Sometimes they Come Back **_

_**Chapter 2**_

_**A/N: Okay, chapter two! Lets see how this one turned out, shall we? I just want to say a BIG thank you to all who reviewed. Those made my freaking day. I'll have to thank you individually, maybe in an up coming chapter. **_

His shoes were pounding against the pavement as Leon ran up his steps to the front doorstep. If it hadn't been for that guy who almost ran him off the road, he would have been home sooner. It took him awhile to call road side assistance, no thanks to the asshole who gave him a dent in his car. But that didn't matter now. He just about tripped on the front porch, causing him to fly into the door that wasn't quite shut, getting the wind knocked out of him for a brief moment.

"Claire! Claire, I'm home!"

No answer.

Then he heard it. Running water. Claire must be in the shower. He thought with a sigh and relaxed.

_No, she had taken one this morning._

At his last thought, Leon quickly continued his frantic scurrying about. Passing through the kitchen, he saw the back door was unlocked, and slightly open. He ran up the stairs into the hallway that held their bathroom. The water was on, making steam rise out the open door into the hallway. Leon quit breathing at what he saw next.

Just through the crack of the unclosed door, through the steam and fog that surrounded him with moist heat, was an arm. . . .

In one swift motion, Leon just about broke the door down. The door flew back on its hinges and banged agaist the wall. The remaining shards of glass that were still attatched to the mirror fell and clattered to the ground. There she lay. Blood streaked down her face at the open gash just below her hairline. Pieces of shattered glass and wood lay on the ground. Leon saw the wood came from his baseball bat. He could feel the bile rise in his throat. His life had just been smashed into a thousand pieces as those segments of mirror that remained on the floor.

"Claire! Oh my. . .Honey! Honey!" the panic in his own voice terrorized him.

He knelt down by her body. She was still breathing. He could hear her soft, but sharp breaths. Wet streaks fell onto her face. He couldn't stop the tears. She seemed to have no other wounds on her body, but. . . He caught a trickle of red coming out of her mouth. He lifted up her shirt.  
Her stomach that once soft but lean, was now red and swollen. The scrapes continued around to her back.

All of this had happened in a matter of seconds, but to him, it felt like an eternity.

He wasn't sure what happened next. The next thing he heard was a knock on his door. Red and blue flashes were outside his window. It was the EMT. He looked down at his hands and saw that he was holding the phone, which still read 911. He opened the door for the medic.

"You call for an ambulance?" The young man said. Leon wasn't sure. Everything had just been a blur. "We got a call from a Mr. Leon Kennedy. That you?"

Leon just nodded. He hadn't even thought. He just reacted.

_**I I I**_

"Leon, what happened?" Chris's voice rang into the receiver.

Leon leaned up against the pay phone. Tears still clouded his vison. Brushing away the sweat and tears from his face, he barely managed to chock out a response. He couldn't think. He could somewhere hear Chris's alarmed voice in the other end of the phone. But all Leon could see was her. On the floor, in all that blood.

"I should have listened to her," Leon choked.

"Who?" he sounded confused.

"She tried to warn me. She told me they'd come after Claire," he could hear Chris heave on the other end.

"Leon, calm down. Take a deep breath."

Leon obeyed.

"Now, where are you? Which hospital?" Chris asked.

"Sacred Heart."

"All right, just stay cool. I'll be there in a few minutes," and then he hung up. Leon knew that Chris was as equally worried. Leon heard a click and hung up the phone on his end.

_Why?_

That was the only thought that penitrated his mind.

_Why?_

He thought about his past. Everything he went through. Raccoon. Ada. Waiting for Claire to come back from France. Falling in love, marriage.

He slowly sank onto the floor. Every time he closed his eyes, he could see her. The image of her beaten body sent a chill up his spine. Leon never told anyone this. . . but Claire wasn't the only one to have nightmares. Yes they weren't as severe, didn't have him waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air. But that picture of Claire was now branded in his mind. It was as if all of his nightmares had come to life.

Losing her.

_**I I I**_

_He's a mess._ Chris thought.

The sight of Leon was one of the most grievous things he's ever seen. There he sat, on a bench, just staring at the double doors. His hair hung in his face and the crimson color of soaked blood on his calor didn't help ease Chris's mind. His face appeared damp.And his blood shot eyes held worry and lack of sleep.

"What did the Doctor say?" Chris asked. Leon didn't even look up. "Leon?" Still, nothing.

Reaching out softly, Chris lightly touched his shoulder. Leon sprang from surprise and gazed at Chris as though he didn't recognize him.

"Leon, what did the doctor say?" he repeated.

"They're not telling me anything," Leon then turned back around and continued watching the double doors. "Must be bad," he mumbled. Chris took a seat next to Leon on the bench.

"What happened?"

"I came home, and I found her in the bathroom," he stopped. "She was on the floor," his voice hitched and he stopped once more. Chris put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Beaten," he finished.

Chris let out an exhale. He couldn't have imagined how that must have been for his brother-in-law.

"You said something about listening to her. That someone would come after Claire. Who were you talking about, who told you that?"

Leon hesitated, then. . . .

"Ada."

"Ada? Who the hell is Ad - wha-. . .what? The Ada? The spy that you ran into in Raccoon? Didn't she try to kill you?"

"Kinda."

"Well, what did she say?"

"She said something about Wesker being alive and unstoppable. That he's going to come after each one of us, and kill us. One by one. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, huh?" Bitterness was the only way to describe his voice.

"When was this?"

"Earlier tonight, as I was leaving work. I couldn't get home in time. I didn't believe her," Leon muttered.

Just as the words left his mouth the double doors opened and a doctor walked out.

"Mr. Kennedy? I'm Dr. Rife," Leon stood up instantly.

"How is she?"

"Is she all right?" Chris chimed in. The doctor narrowed his eyes at Chris.

"Who are you?" The doctor was staring at Chris like some crazy who had just barged in at the last moment. Chris's eyes grew bright, and his mouth twittered as though offended.

"I'm her brother. And if I don't get some damn answers, it's gonna be you in the ER!"

Rife ignored him.

"First off. Your wife is fine. She's got a bad wound on her forehead, a broken rib, and some cuts on her chest, stomach and back. She had us concerned when she started throwing up blood. Turns out that her rib punctured her stomach, but we were able to stop the bleeding in surgery. The damage looked a lot worse then it really was. When we first saw her, we thought it was going to be a long night, but she'll make it out just fine," both of the men let out a suppressed sigh.

"Thank you," said Leon.

"Anything else?" Chris interrupted.

"A slight concussion. However, her brain-waves are good. I seriously doubt she'll need any physical, or behavioral therapy. Your wife, "he turned to Chris. "and your sister will be as good  
as new in a few months."

With that, Dr. Rife turned on his heel, and left.

"Can I see her?" Leon shouted down the hallway.

"Beth, take Mr. Kennedy to room 202," Rife said to a nurse walking nearby.

_**I I I**_

"She's right in there."

Beth pointed Leon into a small room. He muttered a quick thank you, and walked in. Chris had insisted that he go first.

The doctor was right, without all of the broken shards of glass and blood, she looked much better. She didn't look good, but he could tell she would make it. He thanked the heavens every step of the way to her room. The delicate beat of the heart monitor filled his ears. Her easy breathing calmed him as he sat down next to her bed. Carefully, he touched her sensitive hand, trying to avoid the IV that pinched her skin.

"Hi honey," he hushed. He wanted to cry, but couldn't.

"Mmm."

He looked up. Were his ears playing tricks on him? Had she just said something?

"Claire?" Leisurely, she opened her fair, blue eyes. She looked at him through the slits. She saw him.

"Leon?" she throttled. He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"Yeah, yeah, honey it's me. You - your going to be all right."

He rushed his words out with excitement and joy. He could feel the lump in his throat again as she ran her thick tongue over her dry, swollen lips.

"Get the number of that truck that hit me?"

In spite of his grief, Leon let out a suppressed chuckle at her words. He saw the corners of her mouth tug up in a small grin.

"It's good to hear your voice."

"It's good to hear your laugh," she responded.

"How are you feeling?"

"My head hurts, and I feel like I've been kicked in the ribs," she turned her face to look at him. Closing her eyes for a moment, she opened them once more. This time, trying to focus on him.

"That would make sense since you were hit in the ribs by my baseball bat."

His eyes fell to her hand that she was holding on too so weakly. "Your rib is broken."

"Someone. . .Someone broke into the house," her voice was faint. Leon put his other hand on her forehead.

"Shhh. I know, I know, just rest."

Claire nodded her head. Her other hand wondered up to the corner of her brow, tracing the bandage along with her fingertips. She then looked at Leon, his eyes glued to her hand he was holding.

"You've been crying," she'd never seen him cry before. She reached out her hand and traced his tear stained face. His moist, blood shot eyes, didn't meet hers.

"Like a baby," he mumbled. Eyes still not holding her gaze.

"Leon, Leon look at me," she whispered softly. He didn't. She reached her hand out and lifted his chin. His eyes were shining with tears.

"I could've lost you," he uttered into the silent room.

"Oh," she soughed. She could feel tears burning her own eyes.

"I should have been there."

He buried his eyes in his free hand. His face breaking out in anguish.

"Don't talk like that. Don't even think like that."

"I called Chris. He wants to see you."

"He can wait," she clasped his hand that was over his eyes and he saw her own eyes dim. With that he stood up, and reaching out to her, she embraced him. Kissing her forehead, at first, he left a trail down her face until his lips found hers. Neither of them noticed Chris outside, but his eyes devoted to the ceiling, not able to watch such a heart breaking scene.

_**I I I**_

"You look wiped," Chris said as Leon closed Claire's door.

"That's the second time today someone has said that to me."

"How was she?"

"A little out of it. She looked so fragile. I was worried I would brake her if I handled her wrong."

Chris let out a laugh.

"Claire's anything but fragile. Even in death, I don't think she could break."

"Do you want to see her?" Chris shook his head.

"No, no. Let her rest. I'm just glad she's okay."

But Leon wasn't paying any attention. Instead, he was fixed upon the two men in approaching him. One, was short, with sandy blond hair, and sandy eyes. And the other tall lanky one, dark hair, but green eyes, he looked devious. Leon immediately got a bad feeling.

"Officer Kennedy?" the tall one said.

"Yes?" he replied as the two men stopped in front of Claire's door.

"I'm Detective Anderson. This is Detective Wise," they both reached out to shake his hand. "We're investigating your wife's attack."

"Can you tell us what happened?" Detective Wise said.

"I came home. I found her in the bathroom. Someone had smashed her face into the mirror, and hammered her with a baseball bat," Leon said bluntly. He was getting sick of having to repeat the horrible memory.

"Where were you?"

"I was trying to come home." Leon stated impatiently. Anderson gazed at him.

"You said your wife was beaten with a baseball bat?"

"Yes," he had no clue as to where they were they getting at.

"Well, we went to your home. We found your prints all over the baseball bat."

"Well, since it is mine, I guess you would find my prints on it," spat Leon. The other two looked at each other. Wise spoke up:

"Have you and your wife ever had any problems? Ever lose her temper with her?" Leon stared at them, dumbfounded.

"Hey, wait! You don't think Leon did this do you?" Chris butted in, coming to Leon's defense. "Leon would never hurt her!"

Chris knew Leon, and he knew that Leon would dump a can of gasoline over his head and strike a match before letting Claire be harmed.

"On her doctors report," said Wise, shaking the clipboard with Claire's vitals in his hand, "Doctor Rife noted that Claire had sustained a cut on her right hand. He also noted that it wasn't from this incident, because it was bandaged before she got to the hospital. You have anything to do with that?"

"She cut her hand last night!" Leon cried defensively.

No, this wasn't happening. Instead of him and Claire being in a log cabin for the weekend, relaxing, making love, he was being interrogated by two Detectives about being a wife beater.

"There was a message on your answering machine saying that something scared you. The message read that you called around 7:15pm. But you called 911 around 7:45. Doesn't it only take you 10 minutes to get home? You got home rather late to see your wife close to death."

"I had a small car accident! I was trying to get home because I was worried about her! I don't beat my wife. I've never touched her!"

"Why were you worried about her?" Anderson asked.

_Man, these guys never gave up._

"I was warned that someone would come after her."

"Why didn't you call the police right away?"

"I am the police dammit!" Leon smacked the clipboard of Detective Wise's hand. He felt like he was talking to two children, asking him stupid question, and asking _why _about everything.

"Can't you just leave him be? He's had a hard enough day as it is!" Chris stepped in front of the two men. "We both have."

With that the men shot Leon a last suspecting look, and strolled off.

"Assholes." Leon muttered.

"You didn't exactly act innocent," Chris said pointedly. Leon threw his hands up in defense.

"They think I did that to her!"

"Well, you did hit that guy's clipboard out of his hand. That didn't make you look good," Chris moved over to stand by Claire's door.

Staring off for a moment, his eyes shifted to Leon and then back down the hall. Leon went and sat down on the bench again. Chris heardhim grunt something about a _"Nightmare."_

"You think I'm overreacting? About tonight, in general?" asked Leon. Chris stared back. Those eyes looked so exhausted.

"Tonight you ran into an old friend, a friend who was really a spy and probably would have killed you. She warned you that a psycho killer is going to murder all of your friends and loved ones, only to come home and find your wife fight for her life and she was battered, and in all likelihood, would have died if you hadn't gotten home when you did. Now, you're a suspect for her accident. So, no Leon, I don't think you're overreacting."

"Well, when you put it like that. . ." the two men stared at each other before smiling. It was good that the two of them could find comfort in all of this.

Chris peered at Leon for an instant. He had to admit, if anyone was to be with his sister, he was glad it was him. He remembered when he found out that the pair of them were involved. It had been when they went to help clean out at the store house for a friend.

_Chris went back to check out the security camera's that they had installed after a break in. He looked at all the screens in awe. One by one they all changed views, when he caught Leon and Claire mopping. They were both dancing with their mops._

_Chris laughed as he pictured Claire singing "Scrubbing Day" from_ Pippy Long Stockings_, when Leon dropped his mop and started dancing with his sister. They both ungracefully slid over the wet cement as they danced. Without warning Leon pressed her up against the wall and gave her a tender kiss._

_Chris's mouth dropped open as he saw that Claire responded to it casually, as if it had happened before.And beforeChris knew what he was doing, he was out the door chasing after Leon like a dog chasing after a rabbit. But he had forgotten that the floor was wet and went skating across into a pile of cans._

_He chewed Leon out for the first ten minutes. But then Leon told him that he was in love with Claire. By the look in his eyes, and the tone in his voice, Chris knew it was true. And as he went to go give Leon a hug, he tripped again and fell into a bucket of soap-water._

Looking at him now, he knew Leon would find the bastard that did this, and with a good chance, kill him. Just then they saw Anderson and Wise coming back. Both of them walked calmly, but in perfect rhythm.

"Good news Kennedy, you're off the hook," Leon eyes shot up at the young men.

"Huh?" he said in disbelief. No more then twenty minutes ago, these men were out to make him look like the scum of the earth.

"You have an alibi. We called a few roadside assistance companies and we got a record that you called them just around the time of your wife's attack. We're very sorry for the mistake."

They turned around and left again.

"I forgot about that," said Leon still in unbelief. Chris laughed.

"You're lucky," Leon nodded in agreement.

"Do you think it was Wesker who attacked her?" asked Chris suddenly.

"I guess," responded Leon. "You don't think so?"

"If Wesker wanted to kill her, he would have. Kinda like if a dog intends to hurt you by bitting, he'll draw blood. This person only wanted to hurt her, not kill her. Maybe to scare us."

"Yeah, that makes sense. He could've just broken her neck. But Wesker could have just beaten her," Leon suggested.

"Nah, Wesker would think that would be too tasteless, to do his own dirty work. He'd go in for the kill, not the scare. It must have been someone else, someone who works for him possibly."

"Well, he's gonna come after all of us. Not just Claire. We're all in danger now," Leon's voice sounded feeble.

"I think we need reinforcements," Chris exclaimed.

"Think about it Chris. We're cops. There is no way in hell that our own Police department it going to believe us."

"I'm not talking about the police," Chris cut in. "By reinforcements, I mean it's time for a little Raccoon reunion."

_**To be continued.**_

_**A/N: Okay, not so much of a cliffhanger in this chapter, but there is still much, much more. I hope you guys liked it as much as the first chapter. Thanks again for all of the reviews. Peace out!**_

_**diddly day**_


	3. Welcome back

_**Sometimes they Come Back **_

_**by diddly day**_

_**A/N: Wow, it's been so awesome getting feedback back from all of you. I can't believe I'm on the third chapter. Hopefully this one will be good. Lets check it out.**_

_**Chapter Three:**_

"Easy now. Easy."

Leon said to Claire as he slid her in the back seat of his car. Her head rolled on her shoulders loosely. He couldn't believe that she was coming home so early. Rife had insisted that she do so. It was kind of relieving to him. Although he had only been sharing a bed with Claire for six months, he didn't like sleeping alone, and he didn't like the idea of Claire alone in the hospital, for a variety of reasons.

"There now, all tucked in for sleepy weepy?" Chris's teasing voice came behind Leon as he buckled her in.

"Bite me," Claire grumbled. Leon just smiled and shut the car door.

"Don't tell me she's also PMSing?" asked Chris as he walked around to the driver's side.

"No, it's her concussion. The doctor told me she could be a little snappy." Leon rested against the side door.

"In that case, thank goodness for painkillers, eh?" Chris's face caved in a massive grin.

"She's already doped up enough as it is."

"How can you tell?" Chris looked into Claire's window to make sure she was asleep and not eavesdropping.

"She asked me if I could go to the bathroom for her."

Leon laughed as he said the words.

"Sick," Chris whispered. Leon thought it was about time to change the subject.

"Did you call everyone and tell them what happened?" Leon asked. Chris nodded.

"Called them allyesterday afternoon. They should be in by tonight. After I told them that they were all in danger, they were more then happy to push back whatever they had planned and come down to see us."

Leon muttered a soft " Good." He paused for a moment.

"What about Ada?"

"Coming tonight, along with everyone else," Chris replied. Leon uncomfortably shifted his eyes around.

"So what's the deal with you and her? Like her or hate her?" Leon's head whipped back at Chris's question. He ran his figures through his hair.

"I honestly don't know," Leon sighed. "I mean, if it weren't for her, I would have never gotten the warning about Wesker. But I just can't stop thinking about how she screwed me over in Raccoon."

"So which is it?"

"I don't hate her. I don't trust her, but I don't hate her," said Leon finally.

"You can't hate anyone Leon. It isn't in your nature," Chris declared. Leon stared back at him before putting his head in his hands.

"I hate Umbrella," he said bitterly. "I hate the son of a bitch who did that to Claire."

"Well, those guys don't count because there is no way you _can't_ hate them." Leon was quite for a moment. Chris caught him sneak a glimpse at Claire through the window.

"Yeah, I guess if it hadn't been for Ada, I wouldn't have been in such a rush to get home, I wouldn't have been there in time," Leon frowned, "I still wasn't," he added ever so softly.

"Are you still beating yourself up about that? Look, Leon, it isn't your fault."

"Yes it is." he replied shortly.

"No, it isn't!" Chris shouted, raising his voice to Leon. "I don't think that, Claire doesn't think that. No one thinks that but you. You've gotta get over it. Like that song in the _Lion King_." Leon raised an eyebrow at Chris.

"You watched the _Lion King?_" Chris's face grew pale as he knew what had just slipped out.

"Uh," he stuttered. "I watched it over at my nephews house."

"You don't have a nephew." Leon rolled his eyes and waved his hand to his brother-in-law. "Man, you just got less cool to me somehow."

"It's a good show!" yelled Chris in defense as he got into the car.

_**I I I**_

"Hey Claire, you ever seen the Lion King?" asked Leon as he sat next to her on Chris's couch, next to the warmth that the fire in the fire place was giving off.

Chris had pressed that he and Claire stay at his house for a while. Claire was resting her head comfortably on a pillow. She had argued that she didn't need bed rest, that she wanted to be there when Sherry arrived. Claire cracked one of her eyes open to look at him.

"Yeah, but I didn't like it as much as Chris. He used to sing all of those song every day in the shower." Leon busted out into laughter.

"That's a little disturbing." Leon laid his head back on the couch.

"Oh, you know it will be in your dreams," Claire joked.

"Or nightmares," he retorted.

He was happy that Claire was trying to be so cheerful. He knew that all she wanted to do was roll up in a ball and go to sleep. She was also refusing to let Leon give her any more painkillers.

He could feel Claire shift over to her side so she was leaning on his arm. Looking down at her, he reached down and brushed her hair out of her face. Very lightly, he brushed her bandage that wrapped tightly around her brow. He hadn't even realized that she was staring at him. His eyes meeting hers, he tilted over and kissed her temple. Her hand grabbed his leg and started to rub it tenderly. With that, he had a suddendesire to grab her and drag her up to their guest room. . . .

"Hello?" the loud voice made the couple jump apart.

"Jill!" Claire stumbled up slowly to give her a hug.

"I've been trying to get your attention for the last minute or so!" Jill cried, laughing. Leon stood up to give her a quick hug.

"Sorry. We didn't even hear Chris let you in. I was a little. . .distracted," Leon chuckled.

"Um, yeah, I could see that," Jill laughed again. Leon turned scarlet. Jill turned her attention back to Claire.

"Wow, I haven't seen you since our wedding," Claire beamed.

"I know, I know, I've been so busy. I've just-" she stopped when she saw the Claire turned the side of her head to look at Leon. Staring at the bandage on her head. "Oh, Claire, what did they do to you?"

Claire quickly turned away and moved toward the couch. "You still look beautiful, but by the size of your bandage I take it your gash is huge."

"I take it Chris told you the whole story?" Claire said as she sat down.

"Yeah, did you see who did it?" Jill moved forward to sit with her on the couch. Claire shook her head.

"I don't remember anything," responded Claire hopelessly. "I remember walking into the bathroom, the shower was on, then it just all went black."

Jill sighed andpatted Claire's back. Claire immediately flinched and pulled away.

"Her back it a little injured too." Leon said sitting down in the nearby chair.

"I'm sorry." Jill moved her hand back.

"It's no big deal." Claire blurted airly.

The doorbell broke through their conversation. Leon could see Chris jog down the stairs to answer it. Hearing him unlock the latch, and the door being pulled back from the lock, a little voice filled the room.

"Chris!" a young girl shouted.

"Hi Sherry," his voice echoed into the study with the rest of them. Leon glanced at Claire, only to find a warm smile playing on her lips.

"Are Leon and Claire here?" The excitement in her voice made all of who where in the study snicker.

"Yeah, just right in the study." His voice was drowned out by her hasty footsteps. "Who brought you!" Chris shouted after her.

"Me, Chris. How are you?" A deep voice followed Chris's.

"Barry! Long time no see."

Leon could imagine Berry extending over Chris and offering a conventual handshake. Just then, the door creaked open and in popped Sherry's young, blond head. Before Leon knew it, she was diving at Claire, wrapping her arms around her so fast that it made her gasp.

"No, wait, Sherry," Jill tried to warn her about not making the same mistake that she did. But Claire just hushed her and smiled at the, now, thirteen-year-old.

"Oh, Sherry, when did you get so beautiful?" Claire cooed. Sherry just giggled, but it quickly vanished as she saw Claire's face.

"I'm so sorry about what happened," Claire just looked at the fire, then gazed back, giving Sherry a gentle grin.

"Hey, I'm tough. I can take it."

"You still are ravishing."

"Sorry about her feisty behavior," Barry, who had just joined them in the study, sat down in the large armchair next to the fire. "She's been so excited about seeing you."

Soon after Barry, Carlos, and Rebecca arrived, all giving their apologies to Claire, and warm hugs to Sherry. Barry had told them that her aunt let him take her with him, since he was passing through her town anyway. They all made chitchat, catching up, they had all decided that it would be best to go separate ways, trying to come up with a plane to stop Umbrella. Once they made a pact that they would all reunion again for one final action.

_**I I I**_

"Looks like that day has come," Carlos had said when they all got settled.

"So is everyone here?" asked Jill.

"Not everyone," Leon said softly gazing out the window.

Claire felt such pain in her heart for causing so much grief. Not just in Leon's life, but in everyone's. She sometimes wondered what it would had been like if she hadn't gone looking for her brother. If she had suggested that he take the job in Chicago instead of the R.P.D.

"Why? Who else are we expecting?" Rebecca questioned.

As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Everyone stared at each other. Slowly Chris got up and left the room for a moment. The gang could hear hushed voices coming from living room. Chris walked back in with Ada following right behind him.

"Everyone this is Ada Wong," Chris said as he pulled up an extra chair.

They all stood up to shake her hand. Finally it was Claire's turn. She stood up to greet the mysterious woman that Leon had told her about. Her warm hand gripped Ada's. A sensation of dejavue shook its way through her body.

_She knew this woman. _She had seen that face before. It was so strong, she could feel herself getting dizzy.

"Claire?"

Leon jumped up out of his chair and ran by her side, gently putting a soft hand on her shoulder. Claire peeked out of the corner of her eye and saw Ada's mouth twitch. Her stomach was doing flip-flops. For some odd reason, this woman made her afraid.

"I'm okay." Her voice was shaky, but calm. She shook her head, trying to gather her wits about.

"You look a little pale," Ada's voice broke in. Claire turned her sight back to the woman whom she was still holding a death grip on.

"Thank you for your help," Claire noticed her own voice sounded far off. "You helped save my life. I owe you."

Ada flashed her a smile. Claire felt the sickening feeling return in her. There was something in her smile. Claire could find that it was getting harder to breathe.

_Why did this woman terrify her?_

"Claire, why don't you sit down?"

Leon lead her to the couch andsat himself down next to her. Immediately, she could feel her heart begin to calm as Leon threw a strong arm over her body.

"So why are we here anyway?" Carlos spoke up. "I know it has something to do with Claire, and the rest of us being in danger. I take it that it has something to do with you also?"

"Oh, it does,"

Ada said standing in front of all of them. She seemed to glow mysteriously with the fire behind her, Claire thought. Sherry shifted apprehensively in her seat.

"Where should I start?"

"How about when you approached Leon in the parking garage," Chris offered.

"I have a better idea. It all started when I was picked up outside of Raccoon after an underground lab explosion. But it wasn't by the Umbrella. Instead it was by another establishment. This "enterprise" that Umbrella calls, goes by the title Nexxus. I was held there, a prisoner for almost seven months."

Ada stopped abruptly.

"Did you break out?" Rebecca asked. Ada took in a drew in a weak breath and glared straight at  
her.

"No. After they decided that I didn't know anything about the Raccoon contagion, they wanted to use me for other purposes. Albert Wesker. . . .was among these people. This is the company he is working for now."

Everyone just gazed at her in shock.

"What kind of purposes?" asked Leon, eyeballing her suspiciously. She directed herself so that she was watching him.

"Wesker was injected with some sort of chemical. It was somehow able to mix with his DNA, and create a super Tyrant, but in human form. Nexxus like's to call him invincible. But his code name in _"Slayer."_

"I am sorry to say that I was the one used to produce such a chemical. I worked in the labs for hours on end. Until I came up with the S-toxin."

Claire could see Leon rub his temples and Sherry's eye'sbecame saucers at Ada's words.

"What does that have to do with us?" Jill choked out.

"Nexxus is one of Umbrella's competitors. They know that there are fellowships out there that are aware of Bio-hazard usage. Even if Nexxus and Umbrella are two different industries, they still hold the same value, and the exposer of one could result in the exposer of all. Therefor, we all must be eliminated."

"But you're helping them!" Sherry shouted at her. "You work for them now!"

"Yes, but since I survived Raccoon, chances are that I'll be killed too. They have no idea that I'm working against them. I also have to pay back what I've done to hurt you all."

There was such shame in her voice that Claire could almost trust her.

"This is just too much information," Rebecca's soft voice broke out as she stood up and looked out the window.

"No kidding." Chris agreed. "Is there anything else we should know?"

"There is another type of virus."

Everyone groaned at the word virus.

"Only this one is different. This one is _special._ Instead of turning humans into mindless creatures, this one affects the part of the brain that controls your emotions. Slowly, it kills off any emotions the body has left but one. . .rage. Tests have shown that the subjects who were infected ended up killing their companions all in a fit of anger."

Jill put her face in her hands.

"Just when things couldn't get any worse," she muttered.

"I'm sure you won't have to worry about that though. It's still being perfected. It doesn't even have a name," Ada added as an after thought.

"So what are we going to do?" Barry asked.

"There's not much we can do," Claire addressed. "The best we can do is try to stick together and advise a plan. But as for tonight, I'm afraid we are going to have to put a pin in it."

"I think she's right," Jill agreed. "Safety in numbers, but we can't expect to come up with a plane over night. I think we should all get our minds clear and think. Rest."

"Well in that case, let's have dinner!" Carlos said as he sprang out of the room.

_**I I I**_

She never liked to be alone. No, not since she got married. She adored what she had with Leon. That was something she would never, ever give up. But being alone now, in the guest bedroom. She had never felt more lonely. More then when she was in the hospital.

Maybe it was because they were so close, and yet so far. Leon had stressed that he wanted her to get all the rest she could after dinner. Yes, she was tired. Drained, really. But she could sleep knowing Leon was up and about. Letting her isolation get the best of her, she crept out of her room.

Making her way down the hall, and soon down the stairs she heard Ada's deep, humdrum, voice fill the kitchen. It was soon followed by Leon's. She peeked in the kitchen, carefully, so not to be seen, she saw him facing the wall over the sink doing dishes, Ada was helping him clean off the table. She couldn't help but noticed how tired he looked. The lines under his eyes seemed somehow more pronounced. Ada, on the other hand, looked very well rested, like sleeping beauty.

"Do you believe me now?" she heard Ada ask. Leon didn't even look up from his work.

"After some drastic measures, I have no choice but to believe you."

Claire shifted farther back into the shadows. She had never met Ada, but on some basis, she was jealous of her. She sometimes felt that she could never owe up to that kind of a woman, and had worried that on some level, that Leon wished that Ada wore the wedding band on her left finger instead of Claire.

"It's good that you do. The most important thing in our life right now is stopping Nexxus and Umbrella." Ada conveyed as she stuck the food back into the refrigerator.

"No, it's not."

Claire's head snapped up. What else could there be?

"No? Then tell me, what's the most important thing in your life?" Ada was now leaning on the table. The expression on her face full of curiosity.

Leon looked straight at the wall, a dreamy,yet serious expression lingering on his face.

"My wife," he said simply, before continuing back to his work.

Claire could feel her heart stop, and at the same time burn with love. At that moment, all of her fears disappeared. She had always known he loved her, cared for her. But to be the most important thing in his life? The feeling was doubled ten times when she thought about what that meant. _They were each others life_. And Claire knew her answer would have been the same, if not deeper if the questioned had been asked to her.

"That's sweet."

Her face didn't flinch, and her voice held its lifeless tone, except with a small hint of sarcasm so faint that Leon wouldn't have noticed, but Claire did. She could feel her face burn with fury.

"It must have been hard seeing her like that," she continued. Leon stopped. "On the floor. She must have looked like hell. All bloody and broken. I can't imagine what that must have felt like."

Was there a twinge of mockery in her voice?

"Yes." His tone was dry. And slightly pissed.

Claire pressed her head against the door frame. Her eyes closing in silent prayer for her husband. She hated that she had put him through that. She hated that there was nothing she could do about it, and she hated Ada for making him relive it in his mind. Ada crossed the room and exited through the other door that led into the kitchen. For a while she just stayed there. But then she could hear Leon's soft sighs.

"You still blame yourself don't you?" she asked coming out of her hiding place. Leon jerked his head around in surprise.

"You should be resting." She heard a pop in the sink, followed by a the noise of flooding water down the sink as he pulled the plug and sat it on top of the counter.

"Leon, I can take care of myself. You of all people should know that!"

Leon didn't move or hold any cast on his face. Claire softened her voice. "I know you want what's best, but you also know that I loathe being fussed over."

"I can't help it. I love you." She stepped closer to him. Gently taking his head in her hands she moved her lips close to his ears.

"I love you too. But I can't stand to see you hurting this bad, and I can't stand knowing that I am causing that hurt," she whispered.

Suddenly, she could feel his arms circling her waist, and pulling her closer. Lovingly, she tugged on his ear, then kissing his jaw, and finally his lips. She ran her tongue over his top lip. She pulled away and leaned up against the table, showing what Ada had done earlier. This time, Leon couldn't tare his eyes away.

"You taste like strawberries," he chuckled.

"You taste like soap," she teased. "Come to bed, it's been three days since we've shared a bed. That's way to long."

"Okay."

And with that she grabbed his hand and led him out of the kitchen, up the stairs, closing the door to the room that would be occupied for the rest of the night.

_**I I I**_

Ada watched as the happy couple slid out of the kitchen with rage in her heart. Never would she had thought that she would have hated a woman as much as Claire. Was it because of Leon Maybe. Maybe she still felt something for him. She would rather see him dead then be with Claire. If that was the case, so be it. Yes, she was going to complete her next assignment.

No matter what.

_**To be continued.**_

tre0220: My first reviewer. I was so excited when you told me this was one of your favorite fics.

I gotta tell ya. I kept writing a lot of it for you, and the fact that you told me I was a wonderful  
writer! You're so kind. You made my day. Thank you.

Darryl-Flowers: Hehe, I'm glad you enjoyed my cliffhangers. Thanks for helping keep going.

Tifa Redfield: What can I say? I was so happy that you read my story and liked it! The boy is  
mine has to be one of my favorites. That was such a great complement.

Amyngle: Hehehe, I'm glad I kept you hanging on the edge of your seat. That was awesome

Saunce: I loved all fo your questions. And I agree Wesker is the coolest enemy. I like long  
chapters too, that's why I only post long chapters. knock on wood Thanks for your  
encouragement. I posting soon dammit! hehe.

Dale: thanks for telling me to keep writing. That's just more fuel for me to do it. I thank you.

Lin: I'm happy that you liked the chapter. It was one of the fun one's to write. Thanks for the  
review.

Brandon B: I'm glad you had as much fun reading as I did writing it. Just that fact that you liked  
it meant the world to me. Thanks.

Anonymous, AKA: Marshmallow: Thanks for the review, I love Claire and Leon too. Ada is cool  
cuz she saved my butt at the end of the game. But oh well! Thanks for the review.

Juicyflava065: There is no bigger complement then telling me I have an original story, I work very  
hard to try and accomplish that. I'm happy you noticed. Thanks you.

Jimmy: It blew my mind that you told me that you thought that this was one of the best fics up. I  
got a little teary eyed. Well, no that's a lie. But I did feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Thank you  
thank you. It made me so happy.

happychocobo: you and tre0220 both loved the scrubbing day part. I felt great when you told me  
how great everything was. By the way, you're a Final fantasy fan, aren't you? Thanks KWEAH!

bludevil34: I'm glad you liked the fact the Leon and Claire are all ready married. I thought about  
doing the hook up thing, but this just made my life so much easier. It's good to know you like my  
method. I try and up date every 4 to 5 days, but this chapter took a little bit longer. Thank you.

REM: Hey! It's great you think it's looking good. You're giving me hope. And I will write  
more, which you can see. Okay, I'm babbling. Thanks for the review.


	4. The nightmare begins

_**Sometimes They Come Back** _

**_Chapter Four:_**

**_by diddly day_**

**_Disclaimer: Not mine, Duh._**

_Sweat ran down her face as she leaned her forehead against the cool concrete wall. Her lungs hurt and her side ached as she slowly slid to the floor. Brushing the hair away from her face, she gazed around the room, eyes trying to focus. Then she realized where she was. The Raccoon Police Station._

_No, no. Why was she here again? The air grew denser as the room started to spin. She clutched the grenade luncher close to her side. It was heavier than she remembered, so heavy, that her moist hands couldn't clutch it any tighter as it fell to the floor._

_Don't give up. Never give up. _

_But she could already feel her body crumpling onto the floor. Just as she was about to sink into eternal despair, Leon. If she was here, so was he! Regaining the last ounce of strength she maintained, she threw her body up. She reached out for her gun when she felt the gold barrel and a sharp clicking noise of a gun pressing against her temple. Her blue eyes trailed up the body to see who held her captive. . .the lights sunk into blackness._

_The gun pressed deeper into her temple, warning if she did anything stupid, she'd be dead. Her body went deathly still. She could hear her own heart thudding, ready to explode in her chest. The presser left her temple and she could hear footsteps, the click of heels, walking backwards.  
_

_The feeling was as it was the day she got attacked, only much worse. Her eyes, trying to focus in the dark, failed when they got a spark of light and a hint of sulfur in her nostrils. The glow of the lit matched filled the room. All breath in her body left as her eyes held all terror._

_A figure, holding a match far from their face. The shadows hid it at all cost. Nevertheless she could make out the face kneeling on the floor in front of this unknown horror. _

_Leon._

_His head was bowed and his eyes were closed. Her blood turned to ice her eyes cast the glint of silver the shaded stranger held with their other hand. Everything went into slow motion. The mysterious hand clenching the revolver pointed at Leon's head. The light was waning as she saw Leon's eyes open and gaze at hers. His mouth formed her name._

_"Claire."_

_Soundless as death._

_Unconsciously, she was crawling towards him. In one swift moment, her life was destroyed as a bullet shrieked it's way toward Leon, ripping into his skin. Warm blood spilled over her as she saw his once, beautiful face, now lying on the floor in a thousand pieces. His lifeless body collapsed onto the floor of the Raccoon main hallway. She prayed for death, she cried for death.  
_

_Tears gushed it's way down her face. She forced herself to look at him once more. Then she  
heard it. A noise. A terrible, ear piercing sound, that was filled with such woe, it seemed to last forever. It was only until that her throat burned and her lugs ran out of air, did she realize it was her own heart wenching shrill._

**_I I I_**

She was screaming.

He was woken by her soft gasps, and harsh breathing, but then she let out a terrifying shriek that shook him to his very soul. Leon instantly rolled over in bed and grabbed Claire's delicate form. Tears where streaming from her eyes as her cries turned into sobs. He gently at first tried to shake her awake, but she only held onto him harder and let her wails become earth-shattering. He found himself wrapping his arms around her body and cradling her head.

"Claire! Wake up," he hummed softly in her ear. Immediately, her weeping subsided as he began  
to whisper words of comfort in her ear.

"It's okay," he repeated over and over again. "Everything's okay. It was just a dream. You're safe now."

How could a good night become so terrorizing? They had just made love a few hours before. And now she was having the worst reaction to a nightmare he had ever seen. He could feel her arms sliding up his shoulders. Still holding onto her, he pulled back and gazed into her eyes. She stared back, as if shocked to see his face.

"Claire?"

As her name left his mouth, he could see the shock in her icy blue eyes turn into relief. She closed them and rested her head back on the headboard of the bed.

He didn't think as he leaned over and kissed her bare shoulder. Her eyes snapped open and she seized his face, kissing him in such passion that it startled him. She ran her hands threw his hair and down his back. Why was she kissing him this way? As if he had died and had come back to life. He was just starting to recover from his shock when the door shook.

"Leon! Claire! Is everything alright?" Chris's muffled voice came through the door.

However, Claire didn't seem to hear it because her hands only tightened around his back and her lips rubbed religiously over his lips, neck and shoulders.

"Claire," Leon muttered between kisses, "Chris is out there!"

She stopped.

"I'm coming in!" Chris's voice demanded.

"No! Chris, I'm alright," Claire cried weakly at the door.

They slipped on their robes and walked quickly to the bed room door.

"What's wrong? I heard screaming!"

The sight of Chris was quite an odd one. There he stood, his hair messy. He wasn't alone, there stood Jill and Rebecca and the rest of the group in their evening wear. Ada looked as though she had just walked out of a Victoria Secret catalog. The men kept glancing at her while the girls eyes her enviously.

"I just had a nightmare Chris, that's all," Claire said softly, but calmly.

"That didn't sound like any ordinary nightmare," Barry blurted out.

"We could hear you all the way down stairs! Scared the shit outta me!" Rebecca looked as if she was gonna have a heart-attack.

Ada stayed perfectly quite and posed gazing at Claire. Leon could see Claire shift her weight in discomfort.

"What's going on? Who's screaming?" Sherry's head bounced up the stairs.

"Everything's fine Sherry, go back to bed," Carlos said as he smiled warmly at her.

"Are you sure?" She was standing on the staircase, arm on the railing.

"Get back to bed," Ada snapped at her. Sherry's head jerked at the tone in Ada's voice. "Sorry," It was a quick apology, but it must of been good enough, because everyone kept their mouths shut.

"Goodnight," Sherry said to all of them, but her angry eyes never leaving Ada for one minute. They all shifted back to Claire.

"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Chris again.

"Yes! It's no big deal, I've had dreams like that a million times." Although Claire's carefree tone was convincing, it didn't persuade her older brother.

"Is that true Leon?" Chris was staring suspiciously at both of them.

"I- "

Leon looked over at Claire who had a pleading look in her eyes. Not being able to be humiliated in front her friends and family over a dream. For them not too worry. Leon didn't feel that way, but if he could shield her from feeling like that, he would do anything.

"Yeah, she has them all the time, it's no big deal," he lied.

"Okay." Chris seemed satisfied. "Lets go to sleep. Sweet dreams."

Claire snorted at his comment. Ada was the last to leave, with her and Claire glaring at each other until she was out of sight.

Shutting the door behind him, Leon rested his head against the door. Claire, walking swiftly passed him, sat on the bed with a heavy sigh. He looked at her. She looked totally out of it.

Her blue eyes looked as deep and dark as the ocean.

_Still waters run deep_

He had no idea what that meant until he had met Claire. Lost in thought, hair framing her beautiful face, at the same time, she looked terrified. The same look after every nightmare. Only this one was worse, this one scared him to the point were he'd had enough.

"What was it about this time? And don't you dare give me that tired old excuse. It was not about  
the same thing as you always say." His voice was soft, but firm.

Claire looked at him, she looked so warn. She just shook her head and pulled her robe around her tighter. Leon carefully sat down on the bed next to her. He leaned in close. A hand coming out to stroke her back.

"Please," he begged. "Please don't shut me out now."

"I can't-" her voice hitched. Bending so his face was resting on the side of hers. It must have  
been bad.

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. I've had them too. We all have."

She just shook her head and made an effort to pull away from him. Wrapping his arms around her, firmer he held her. The warmth that was made by them seemed to relax her.

"You died," she stifled out. He stopped.

"What?" Died?

"We were back in Raccoon. Someone, held a gun to your face." She shrank closer to him. "They blew your head off."

The air rushed out of him. "I could see it happening, I could feel your blood on my face, smell your scent as you fell down dead with me weeping over you." She seemed to be having a hard time breathing.

"Honey, I'm here." Trying to sooth her nerves, he reached out to her face and pulled it gently to his, in a soft, tender kiss. "I'm not going anywhere."

She stroked his cheek, as if trying to make sure he was really there.

"Usually when we make love, you don't have nightmares," he said once she eased.

"I know, I feel content. But tonight. . ." she kissed his neck. "I realized I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

"Trust me, the feeling's mutual," his mouth suddenly curved into a wicked grin. "Since I failed to relax you tonight, give me one last chance? Please?"

"Oh," Claire replied with fake wariness as her lips brushed his, "all right."

**_I I I_**

"Carlos what are you doing?" Jill asked at breakfast the next morning. He looked up at her from  
his paper and pen.

"I'm just writing to tell my girl friend it's over," he replied.

"Ah you men!" Rebecca shouted standing at the counter making eggs. "You're all the same."

"I hope you're letting her down easy bro," Chris stated glaring at him. "Ya know, something that says goodbye, but makes her feel loved."

"Oh how sweet!" The touch of sarcasm in Carlos's voice made Rebecca snicker. "Hey, I'm a pro at writing sensitive love letters."

Rebecca passed him holding her plate of eggs in hand. She stopped and looked over at Carlos's paper.

"_Dear Baby,"_ she read aloud. "_Welcome to Dumpsville. Population: You_." she swatted the back of his head with her hand. "How poetic. Woe to the woman who dates you."

"Where is Leon and Claire?" asked Jill curiously.

"Asleep, they didn't get much sleep last night I'll bet," Rebecca said as she sat down to eat her food. Chris's eyes got wide.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Leon got some!" Carlos shouted, smiling. Chris covered his ears.

"Oh come on Chris!" Jill yelled so he could hear her. "They're newly weds. That's how it's supposed to be!"

"Yeah, I don't need to hear about it."

"Speaking of where people are? Where's Ada?" asked Barry, coming into the kitchen and joining  
the conversation.

"She went to go grab a paper," Jill replied.

"I can't believe she said that to Sherry last night," Rebecca shook her head as she said the words, shoving a fork full of eggs into her mouth.

"Yeah, but you can't blame her, she was just in a bad mood," said Barry. "You would be too if you had been woken up by a blood curdling scream. Oh wait, you were."

"Oh, Barry. Sweet, sweet Barry, always trying to find the good in everyone," Jill tittered.

At that instant, they all heard Sherry's soft steps descending down the stairs. She looked as if she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Her eyes, red and scratchy, and her face was a bit smeared.

"Whoa, Sherry, you okay?" asked Carlos. Her eyes snapped over to him, her slits narrowed even further, as she spoke slowly.

"Have you ever heard cats getting it on?" Jill's mouth dropped open and Rebecca busted out in laughter. "There are the worst beasts out there, outside my window, from 2 AM to 5 AM. It's like the hot spot for cats or something!"

"Maybe you heard Leon and Claire," Carlos joked.

"Shut up," Chris said in a sing-song voice, not looking up from his magazine.

Just then they heard the front door open. Smoothly, Ada walked in carrying a news paper in one hand, and a cup of coffee in the other. She stopped as she saw Leon and Claire declining the stair case.

"Sleep well?" Ada asked as she dropped the paper down the end table.

"Yes, thank you," Claire replied politely.

"I hope you did as well," Leon chimed in as they reached the bottom of the stairs.

"Like the dead," Ada stated airlyas she walked passed them. Leon winced and shot Claire a slick glance. They walked into the kitchen and sat around the table.

"So now that everyone is up," Chris welcomed as they all pulled up a seat, "what are we going  
to do about our little problem?"

"I suggest we try to stop Wesker at the source," Ada proposed. "Nexxus."

"And just where is the main branch of Nexxus located?" Rebecca asked. Ada stayed silent for a  
moment.

"Italy."

Her answer was short. Sherry's eyes lit up.

"Really?" Her voice wasn't excited, but held a trace of amusement. Ada's eyes roamed over everyone in the room.

"What do you think?"

"I think it's time for another trip," Chris smiled as Carlos banged his head against the table, and Claire berried her head in Leon's shoulder.

**_I I I_**

"Why are we taking two planes again?" Jill asked as they stood out side loading their stuff onto the small jet plane.

"Because the second plane is to full with all of us, and Ada's had this "special" pilot. She has to direct him where we are going."

"Yes and we all know it's rocket science to get to Italy." Chris said with a smirk.

"Do any of you know how to fly?" Barry retorted. No one said anything, except Chris who raised his hand. Barry chose to ingor him. "That's what I thought."

"Just as long as she's not flying with us," Claire mumbled, her eyes sheered over to the shape of Ada, talking to one of the men working on the engine.

"Come on Claire, she saved you life. You could cut her a little slack." Chris touched her shoulder lightly.

"No, don't cut her any slack," Sherry vented as she tossed her head from side to side.

"You're right, I should. "Claire put her hand over her eyes. "But she makes me nervous. Plus, I don't like the fact that she is constantly hitting on my husband."

Chris nodded his head sympathetically.

"What?" Leon asked walking up to the group.

"Oh speaking of the devil," Claire grinned slyly.

"And as hansom as one too," he returned, pulling her close and giving her a light kiss.

"I am not sitting by them on the plane." Rebecca shouted so Claire and Leon could get the hint. "You two are disgusting to be around. You know that?"

"What are we going to do when we get there?" Jill said as she walked onto the plane.

"I guess we'll figure it out when we get to Italy," Chris said as he followed her. As they all got on the plane, Jill rested her head and closed her eyes.

This was going to be a long trip.

**_I I I_**

Ada shifted uncomfortably in her seat as the plane sped onward. Her eyes traveled up the pilots young features. She held a cast of relief knowing that everyone else was on another jet.

"I take it your set on completing you next assignment?" A deep voice said behind her coming out of the cockpit. She didn't turn around.

"Whatever it takes," she replied.

"Good girl."

Ada shifted herself so she was meeting him.

"And what about you Wesker? What does your mission require of you?" Wesker smiled. His wolf-like fangs now visible in the soft light.

"To make sure you don't do anything stupid."

"Sounds like a simple task."

Wesker's smile faded.

"And your only task is to lead them to me!" Ada gave him a cheeky smile. "I hope you do as well on this mission as you did the last time, with that Redfield girl," Wesker finished.

"I told you, you can depend on me."

"Good to know. You fit nicely with us, Miss Wong, if I do say so myself," Wesker's grin returned.

"What about that male?"

"Burnside? Don't you worry about him. He will be of great used to us in the future."

"He sure can fly a jet."

Ada and Wesker's mouth curved in a wicked smile as they looked at the young man flying their plane.

To be continued. . .

_**A/N: Okay. Hope you liked it. That whole cat thing was from personal experience. Long story. Also, I had to put in one of my favorite Simpsons quote in this chapter. Can you find it?**_

agent182: Hey, Glad you liked it! That was so cool about what you said to me about making the  
characters reactions realistic. It's nice to get that once in a while. Thanks for reviewing.

REM: Well, I think it's pretty clear now what side of the fence Ada is on. hehe. That was so nice  
of you to tell me my story was getting better and better. Thank you!

tre0220: Oh, you blushed last time! So I won't put you first. I wouldn't want to embarrass you.  
Thank you for all the wonderful things you said. The Rage virus will be in upcoming chapters, so  
you will know how it works later on. I'm happy to say I converted you to be a Claire lover.  
Welcome to the light! JK. I read most of your stuff as well, I must say you're a awesome writer,  
I just need to review.I love you last review, it made my day, thanks a bunch!

dale: Really? Best story up this week? Me? What a wonderful thing to say! I hope you're happy  
to see Wesker in this chapter, after all, he kicks ass! Thank you for the review.

Patricia: I love L/C too! I live for those fics. They just make my day. Well, no, but I do look  
forward to reading them. It's nice to know you are curious. Thank you so much for reading!

Tifa Redfield: awwwwww! What a nice review. By the way, when is the next chapter of the boy  
is mine gonna be up? hint hint, wink, wink I'm so glad you like that part. It was one of  
my favorite parts to write. You are such a great author, I can't believe a good writer like you  
would want to read my fic. I love long reviews and email so don't worry, and I'm a Disney fan  
too. What can I say? I just love how you do the gr8 work think, cool way to say it. I thought  
about doing it too, but I wouldn't want to steal your thunder. JK. Thank you.

Saunce: Yes, damn Ada Wong to hell! What a kind thing to say about me as an author. I was  
totally flattered! I could feel the blush creeping up my face as I read! I'm not the only one who  
does this, but you guys are just so nice, and I just want to show how much I appreciate and  
respect your opinions and reviews. I think that is what makes Wesker cool, is that he does hate  
everyone! Badasses rock in this game. I never read the novels. Ooops! I need to do that. I'm  
glad you like my cliffys. Thank you tons!

Shin: First reviewer of chapter 3. What a great complement to tell me about my writing. I think  
those complements are my favorites, sense I don't have the best spelling/grammar in the world.  
You have no idea how much that little comment made my day. Thank you.


	5. Easy

**_Sometimes they Come Back_**

**_by diddly day_**

**_Chapter: Five_**

**_Disclaimer: I owe nothing. Zip, nada, zero._**

_Don't fall asleep, don't fall asleep._

Claire wouldn't be able to stay awake for ever, but she could stay awake now. Even though she was so exremely tired. The sound of Leon's soft snoring, no, more purring, didn't help either. She loved his snore. It lulled her to sleep on harsh nights when wicked memories seemed to take over. But right now it was the last thing she needed. She knew that her chance of having another nightmare was great, and she didn't want to freak everyone out by having a panic-attack on an airplane.

Just the thought of her dream the other night made her shiver. Usually, she was able to move on and forget. Still, this one seemed to be locked in her brain. The image of him still sent chills up her spine. And who was that mysterious person who so savagely took his life?

The worst part, is that her nightmare was so real. She had never had one that tangible before. She had honestly thought that he had died. That he was gone, forever, she would never feel his touch, or hear his voice. Never see his smile, never be able to mother his children.

She was crying over him when she heard his voice. At first, she thought that God had heard her prayers for death, and that she was dead. Except, she could feel Leon's hot breath on her ear. She was being rocked back and forth, his warm body against hers. When she opened her eyes, she saw him. No blood, no shards of bone. Just him.

His beautiful face, gorgeous blue eyes staring deep into hers. She saw his mouth form her name, as he did in her dream, and for a second, she wondered if he was really there. Closing her eyes, she rested her head on the bed board, trying to gather her thoughts. But then she felt his warm lips caressing her shoulder. She new he was real, and that all the events that had been presented up that moment had been a dream. Before she could help herself, she was grazing her lips over his as if her kisses could prevent any tragedies. She needed him. She craved him.

She was snapped out of her thoughts his head came falling down onto her shoulder. The crash alone must have been enough to wake him, because as soon as Leon's head hit her, it came popping back up in such surprise that it made Claire giggle. He looked around at his surroundings, his eyes passing and taking in everything they held. Finally, his eyes found her.

"It's me, Claire," she stretched out her words in a teasing tone. He rubbed his face.

"I thought we were home. I was trying to figure out where we were."

"Airplane," she stretched out once more in the same tone. Leon just smiled and snorted at her sarcasm.

"You okay? You look a little sick." Leon reached out and rubbed her leg.

"I was just thinking," she said, breathing out the words. At that moment Leon looked around the  
plane at everyone.

"We're the only one's awake."

"That means we can do whatever we want." Leon smiled at Claire's sly voice.

"Oh, Claire Kennedy, what are you implying?" Leon lowered his voice, matching her tone. Claire seductively slid her hand up his chest and wrapped it around his neck.

"Whatever you want baby," she purred.

Her voice sounded almost as husky as Ada's. He tilted over and began to leave a sloppy trail of wet kisses down her neck. At that moment, Rebecca seemed to mumble and shift in her sleep.

"We should stop. My husband might wake up," Claire joked. She felt so loose at the moment.  
Leon chuckled and brought his head up to meet hers.

"Well," he kissed her lips, "We'll just have to make sure he doesn't wake up," Leon played along  
as he leaned in for another kiss.

"Mmm, you don't know my husband. He's a light sleeper. But he snores like a pig."

His head jerked up.

"What?" Claire giggled once again at his reaction.

"But you can't compete with him. He's smart and sexy." He went in once more for her neck and jaw bone. She continued talking. "He's sweet, and boy, what a lover."

She could feel the burst of his laughter against her skin and it sent a sweet sensation of thrills through her.

"Sounds like a winner," he mumbled just before his lips found hers. With each second that passed he deepened his kiss. She slid her arms around him, in an effort to pull him closer. Soon he came up for air.

"Do I really snore like a pig?" he rased his eyebrow at her, in hopes that she might tell him wrong.

"No, but you eat like one."

She pecked him on the lips quickly.

"No argument there," he admitted. Leon pulled back and rested in his seat. He took both of his hands, and grabbed Claire's, rubbing her fingers. "Are you gonna give me kids?"

Claire's head snapped up.

"Where did that come from?"

"I'm not talking about any time soon, I'm just saying, I want to be a father."

He fidgeted with her wedding ring. He did that a lot. It was a habit that she secretly loved. She would sometimes wake up in the night and feel his hand tugging at hers. Staring at it, as if he couldn't believe that it was one her finger.

"Ya know, when I met Sherry, I felt this passion to want to protect her. I felt such love, as I still do for her. I loved looking out for her. And if I love Sherry that much, when she isn't even mine, then I can't imagine the love that I would feel with a child that we made together. Of course I'll give you children." She paused and looked up at him. "Just not right now."

"I agree, we've been married for six months, I want you to myself for a while. I was just curious."

"What are you two droning about?" Rebecca's sleepy eyes opened and stared at her.

"Nothing important," Claire lied, giving Leon a wink.

**_I I I_**

"We are here!" Carlos shouted as they got off the plane. Everyone stared at the Mansion that sat on the hill from the landing point. The Alps. Who would have thought that they'd be staying up there?

"I hate Mansions," Chris mumbled. He pulled his jacket around him tight. Snow filled his boots as he walked up to Ada.

"We're staying up there." She pointed to the Mansion. "Wesker won't be able to detect us from up here."

"Hey, where did your jet go Ada?" asked Claire looking around. Ada looked at Claire shortly and then turned back around again as she answered.

"My pilot has other work to do, he shot out of here as soon as my luggage hit the ground."

Everyone seemed satisfied with that.

"Jill give this money to our pilot," Chris said handing to her.

"He only speaks Italian! Have Carlos do it."

"He speaks Spanish."

"Close enough," Jill muttered handing him back the money.

"He also speaks French," Ada stated.

"Hey Claire, we need your help!" Leon shouted as he grabbed her hand and the money from Jill and proceeded to drag her over to the pilot.

Claire handed him the money and said a few words that the group was familiar with. The pilot smiled and replied back to her so fast that it made Leon's head spin.

"What did he say?" he asked.

"He said that Leon and Claire are both French names. We were meant to be."

"Ooo! I didn't know you spoke French Claire," Rebecca giggled.

"Of course! You think that this beautiful head holds nothing inside?" Chris said wrapping an arm around his sister.

"Chris, please," Claire said hiding her blushing face.

"Well then, lets go unpack!" Sherry shouted.

**_I I I_**

It looked like something out of a _Stephen King_ novel. At least that's what it looked like to Leon.

Perfect, but almost too perfect. Like the Mansion was hiding something. He shook the thought out of his mind and sat down on the couch. He and Claire had picked a cozy room upstairs, with everyone just down the hall incase of an emergency.

"E gad look at the snow!" Jill stood in front of the window, staring at the falling snow. "I always heard that it snowed a whole bunch up here, now I can say it's true."

"Of course. Did you know that the Caesar of Rome was the only king of his kind to get ice-water back then?" Leon felt as if he was giving a lecture. Claire turned and looked at him.

"Really? How's that?" She folded her arms across her chest, which told Leon that she was interested.

"He used to have his best marathon runners run up these mountains every morning and chisel off a big hunk of ice. They would run back down with it and by the time they got back to Caesar, it would be this small piece of ice, they'd just stick that piece in his water and he'd drink it. Pretty cool huh?"

Claire smiled and let out a soft chuckle.

"Oh man! You're a freakin' dork!" Carlos said as though he had just discovered this information.

"Man, you sound more like my high school history teacher, than a cop," Barry said slapping Leon on the shoulder.

"Yes, I just learned that I could sleep with my eyes open," Carlos teased, which won a snicker from both Rebecca and Jill.

"Don't listen to them honey." Claire kissed his cheek. "I enjoyed it."

"Yeah, Carlos, quit being a smart ass."

Carlos rolled his eyes at Leon's comment. Ada turned and began to pace around the hall. Claire eyeballed her as she, herself,started to walk up the staircase.

"Where are you going?" Leon asked her she stopped and looked down at him standing on the floor.

"I'm going to check this place out," Claire replied.

"Yeah!" Sherry shouted. "This place seems cool enough to check out. I'm gonna head up stairs, ya know, see what's up there."

As she ran off, Claire heard her say the word "dumbwaiter." Claire jerked her head at Sherry's running form.

"Don't take a ride in one of those things. You could get stuck!" Claire shouted after her. "Speaking from experience," She added when Sherry was out of earshot. Leon laughed a bit at her.

"Well, I'll go look around with you," Leon said as he walked up to meet her on the stairs. He turned around and threw a last look at Ada, who was now, lying on the couch.

"Good, I wouldn't want to get lost all by myself." Claire started to walk up the winding staircase, leading the way.

"Lets just hope you don't get stuck in the dumbwaiter like you did when you were six," Leon laughed, teasing her about the stories she had told him.

They turned and walked into a long corridor that seemed to stretch for miles. The light was dim, and the air smelled of dust. Leon remembered the smell from when he was a boy, playing in his grandfathers attic. It was so thick that when he breathed, he could taste the bits of dust falling lightly on his tongue. He inhaled, then sputtering as the small particles stuck in his lungs. He could then feel Claire's hand smacking his back.

"Breathe," she said behind him. He then felt the dust tickling his nose. All he could do to reply to Claire was give a deep, loud sneeze. When he looked up, he could see her face, it looked terrified.

"What's wrong?" he asked. She looked at her surroundings. Her eyes grew wide as she seemed to drink in her atmosphere.

"This looks just like-"

Then, without warning, she started to walk backwards, but she didn't get far. He saw her foot tangle in the sheet that was draped over one of the tables. She fell backwards, landing flat on her back. Leon found himself by her side in less then an instant.

"Claire! Are you okay?" He knelt down next to her. She nodded and started to sit up.

"I'm fine. I'm fine."

"How's your rib?" He reached out and softly pressed on her rib. She winced. He pulled it back quickly.

"It's okay. It's just a little sore. I don't think the fall did anything."

Without thinking, Leon enfolded his arm around her chest, and the other around her back. Pulling her up, she grabbed his arms.

Quickly composing herself, she dusted off her jeans and took in a deep, but shaky breath. Her hand reached out and brushed her bangs out of her face while giving Leon a grateful smile. But he kept staring at her. He knew something was wrong. She never acted that freaked out. Feeling his gaze hooked on her, she tried to walk away, but he just kept starting.

"What were you saying? Before you fell?" Ask Leon suddenly. She timidly faced him, then shaking her head, he put a hand over her face.

"It's no big deal. This hall just reminds me of the Ashford Mansion."

Leon racked his brain. Where had he heard that name before? He had a feeling that Claire wasn't being completely honest with him, but he knew not to press her. When she wanted to tell him something, she would.

They continued down the corridor until they reached a side door. Leon shot Claire a look that seemed to say_ "Do we dare?"_ In return, Claire gave a _"We dare"_ Smile.

Slowly, he reached out and grabbed the long handle, giving it a twist, the door popped open, having the withered door thud and it skidded across the ground. The darkness of the room seemed to summon them, and yet at the same time, chill them to the bone. Blindly, Leon reached out as his hand searched for a light switch. Finding it, light filled the room with a click. The light revealed the room to be, what looked like, a master bedroom.

"Look what we have here," Claire said as she and him stepped in.

The two seemed to explore the room. Filled with antiques and paintings. Claire's gaze seemed to be fixed on one of a man, with blond hair. His face seemed to pose hate. Leon moved over to the bed pressed down on it with the palms of his hand.

"Nice bed, plenty of room for _movement."_

Claire shifted her gaze to him, shooting him a cunning stare. A small smile playing on her lips. She then observed the painting again.

"Hey look, the guy's eyes seem to follow me wherever I go." He watched her as she walked back and forth, side to side. All the while, her eyes fixed upon the painting. Leon chuckled at her goofiness.

"I think it's creepy."

Leon then turned and paced up to the closet. It was a walk in. Leon hadn't seen one of these since he was a kid. He used to think that a monster lived in his. His hands pressed against the sides.

"What's this?" The sound of Claire's voice made him jump ever so slightly. "Oh, a walk in closet. My old bedroom had one of these."

"Yeah, I used to have one as well." His fingers drummed along the walls, then he knocked on one of them. The sound echoed somewhere behind the wall.

"What is it?"

"I think there's a room back here," he said once more. This time pounding on the walls.

"Do you think it's another bedroom?" Claire asked.

"No, there shouldn't be. This is the last door in the hall."

At his answer, Claire joined him on his pounding. He was right. There was defiantly something back there.

"What are you two doing?" Leon and Claire both practically jumped out of their skin.

Their heads whisked around so fast that Leon was sure that he would get whiplash. There stood Sherry, her eyebrow raised. The look on her face told him that she thought they had lost their minds.

"We were just. . .looking," Claire said causally

"Pounding," Leon retorted, stating the obvious.

"Whatever," Sherry snorted. "Come on, it's time for dinner. Everyone was telling me to look for you. _'Just follow the noise.'_ they said."

"Come on," Claire whispered, grabbing Leon's hand and followed Sherry out of the room. Leon threw another look at the wall before leaving.

**_I I I_**

"Well, I'm going to turn in. It's been a long day. I say we meet down here first thing in the morning and decide what we are going to do about Wesker." Chris stood from the table. "Night."

"I say we should all turn in early," Claire said as she too stood from the table. She started to clear away the dishes when Barry grabbed her hand.

"It's my turn to do dishes. Go to bed." Claire almost protested but saw Leon about ready to fall in his soup. They both got up and headed up the stairs to their bedroom.

They had just reached to top, when Claire turned to head to their room. Leon reached out gently and grabbed her shoulder. She turned to face him.

"Hey, I'm gonna use the restroom really quick. Wait for me Okay?" He leaned in and gave her a light kiss.

"Okay."

He slid his hand from her shoulder all the way down to her hand, and then lightly grasping it until he started to walk away. She watched him until the darkness of the hall swallowed him. Shaking her head, she began to walk to her room.

As she entered it, she almost tripped on the rug, which sent her stumbling a few feet into her room. A bed never looked so good. The only time she could think that when it was as inviting as this was when she had returned from the hell hole that was Raccoon. She walked to her suitcase, getting ready to undress, when a white peace of paper caught her eye. It was resting on her pillow, folded and calling to her. Her interest growing, she walked over to see what it said.

Picking it up, she examined it. A plane white card, nothing on the front, or on the back. She opened it only to find it read simply:

_Trade you._

Eyes glued to the card, her eyes wandered to her pillow. Confused by what it meant. Then the idea hit her. She twittered has her hand reached up and lifted her pillow. A wave of shock seemed to flow its way through her body.

Her heart pupped ice as the air in her luges stopped as she stared down at the pair of golden lugers.

**_To be continued. . ._**

_**A/N: For those who don't get it. Steve said he would trade Claire his golden lugers for something fully automatic. Get it? Okay! Sorry if you guys thought this chapter was boring. I like to call this a "stall" chapter. A chapter that I go through to get to better stuff. There might be a few of these. But by looking at what I have planned, it looks like this is going to be a long story. Thanks to all who reviewed.**_

_**tre0220: Yes, you are an excellent poet. But last time I read them, I wasn't logged in. And I didn't want to review if I wasn't logged in. So I'll do it next time I am. Was this chapter what you had expected? I think Leon is everyone's knight in shining armor. If I get the chance, I will **__**AIM you. You can email me if you'd like too. I don't mind that. I'll be happy with anything thatisn't junk mail. I was touched when you told me that you look forward to this story. No, no, I should be thanking you. You give such awesome comments. Thank you.**_

_**Saunce: Yeah, a duel between Leon and Claire, Steve and Ada would be cool. I know your heart bleeds for Steve, it's cool. Remember, things aren't always as they seem. Nexxus is the company that Wesker is working for. I think Ada explained it in the 3rd chapter, was it? She was kinda going on, so you might have missed it. I've read a few of the books. But not all of them.(It's on my to do list) I happy you like the plot so far. This chapter wasn't that great, but oh well, I have much more planned. Thank you so much for your great comments. I gotta tell you, yours can always make my day. Thanks!**_

_**Zil: Hey I read your latest story, It was way cool. I hope you continue. Thanks for the review. It's always cool to know that you guys want more. I thank you tons!**_

_**Lin: What a cool thing to say. Hard work. . . I like the sound of that! Thanks for all of your reviews, and helping keep going. You rock! Thanks a lot. (that kinda rhymes)**_

_**REM: Yep, Ada's a baddy. . .Or is she? Just kidding, I'll try not to fake you out. As for Claire nightmare, I won't say much, But I'll tell you that I do love to foreshadow. Thanks a bunch for the review!**_

_**Tifa Redfield: Wow! Hey can I tell you something? You rock! I just love your reviews,(not to mention your storys) You have a gift that you can make people feel like a million bucks. I know! Why can't all men be like that? I probably will make the gang poke fun at Chris for his PJ's(oh creative overload!) I read your thank you's, you are wonderful and making everyone's original. You have such talent. hehe, nothing funny, I just like talent. I was reading over the dream part, I think I made it too fuzzy, but I'm glad you liked it. Thank you, thank you for your reviews.**_

_**dale: Oh, Steve's debut his coming. Very soon I might add. Bad guys are such fun to write with. I'm happy you liked it. Thanks for reviewing. I like your attitude, very straight forward, form your reviews, you say it like it is. Thanks.**_

_**diddly day:What is that?**_

_**Girl:It looks like Tifa Redfield, and she's beating the shit out of Ada!**_

_**Crowed: Go Tifa Go! Go Tifa Go!**_


	6. Surprises

**Sometimes they Come Back**

**By diddly day**

**Disclaimer: What doesn't belong to me? Oh, wait, everything.**

**A/N: Hmmmm. I'm not to sure if you guys want more, but here it is. Man, this story is getting long. So, I hope this chapter doesn't blow. R&R please!**

**Chapter Six:**

It was quiet.

Leon gazed at his door, everything was so still. Had she already gone to bed? He looked down and saw the through the crack of the door, the light was on. Maybe she was reading a book. He reached out his hand and turned the knob.

As he entered, he saw Claire, staring at the bed. Blankets turned up, and pillows out of place, she stared down with a look that Leon could only described as horror. In her petite hand was a small, crumpled up, white piece of paper.

"What's wrong?" It took her a minute to respond to his voice.

Her head slowly bobbing up to meet his gaze, she opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Her eyes fell again at the same spot she was looking at. Leon couldn't see behind the upturned pillow. She seemed to be lost in thought for a few more moments, until her eyes snapped up, and her eyes seemed to blaze with all of the insane fury that he had ever seen from a woman.

At first he thought that he had done something wrong. But she quickly grabbed something, something big, something gold.

Before he could ask another question, Claire was running past him, with such speed and force that when she pumped him, he staggered back, almost being knocked to the ground as if he were playing tackle football. Not bothering to shut the door, he followed her. The sound of her feet pounding against the carpet. The look in her eyes was that of a demon escaping the very jaws of the absolute worst hell imaginable.

"Claire! Hold on! Wait!" he called after her.

But she payed no heed. She practically slid past the stairs as she stopped to make a sharp turn. He never knew she could run that fast, he half expected her to jump over the rail to get to the main hall faster. But all her could do was to try to keep up as her form jetted down the stairs.

"Ada!" she screeched as he hit the main floor.

Her voice echoed along the Mansion hall. Leon could hear everyone's hurried foot steps swiftly racing out to where Claire stood.

"Ada get your ass out here!" Everyone gathered around her. Ada appeared looking bewildered.

"Claire what is it?" Rebecca questioned taking a step toward the outraged woman.

"You had something to do with this didn't you?" Claire spat, her eyes fixed on Ada as she waved the object, no, objects in her hand.

Leon could see the gleam of them reflected in the light that was cast down by the chanticleer. It took him a second to realize what they were.

"Claire, put the gun down, it couldn't have been that bad," Carlos hushed, afraid that Claire had been pushed over the edge and would go postal, shooting them all.

"I don't think she gonna kill anyone," Jill whispered to him. Claire wasn't paying any attention, her eye were still glued to Ada.

"Do with what? All I see are a pair of lugers," Ada conveyed, staring at Claire with shock.

"And what about this?" Claire hissed, throwing the piece of crumpled up paper at Ada, causing it to bounce off her chest. She bent over, picked it up, and as she unfolded it, she read:

"Trade you," Ada read.

She flipped it over to see if anything else was on the back. Ada then looked back up to Claire.

"I don't get it."

Leon never was sure he could trust her, but right now, he did.

"Claire, just calm down," said Chris.

"I will not calm down!" Claire shouted, her head whipping around to face her brother and husband. "For almost a year, I've been trying to forget the hell I've had to endure. And now there is someone here, under my nose, pulling this shit on me!"

At her last words she threw the lugers so hard to the ground that Leon was sure it would cause a dent in the floor.

"Claire, those could just be a decoration," Ada said shrugging.

"Then what about the note?" Claire demanded. Ada threw her arms in the air.

"I don't know!" Ada snarled. "Why is it that you expect _me _to have all the answers? You all treat me like that bad guy, but have I once lied to you since we started this?"

At her words, Claire seemed to calm down. Leon had never seen her so worked up. He rested a hand on her arm. Claire bit her lip and turned away from Ada, her face flushed and her brow sweaty. Taking her pinky, she brought it her lips and began to chew the nail as her eyes darted from one member of the party to the other. Leon was sure she was thinking quickly. . . he could practically see the wheels turning inside of her mind.

"Hey, I've seen those before," Chris said staring down at the lugers Claire had thrown on the floor.

Just as soon as the words flew out of his mouth, his head shot up, looking at Claire. His eyes widening with understanding. "Oh."

Silence.

The room that had once been filled with demands, shouts and anger had just gotten deathly calm. Claire turn her face to the ceiling. Her eyes closed. Leon held a tight grip on her arm, he could feel her shaking. He stepped closer so that he could hear her breathing, it seemed to quicken, sounding more strangled. She swayed a little bit, her own hand tightening on Leon's.

Panic ran through him.

"Claire? Claire, calm down," Leon slid his arms around her. Just as he was turning her around to face him, her legs gave away.

Struggling to pull her up, Carlos grabbed her as he helped Leon move her to the couch. He eased her down so her head was resting on a soft pillow.

"Breathe honey, breathe." He placed a hand over her chest, trying tocomfort her.

"Here, let me see," Rebecca softly pulled Leon away from his wife. He saw her rub gently on Claire's upper chest, calmly giving instructions for lulled breathing.

Leon glanced at Chris, who looked as terrified as he felt. Ada looked over at Barry and Sherry, who stood by the dinning room door. Sherry looked as if she were about to burst into tears, all the while Barry holding a comforting arm around her.

Everyone's attention was soothed as they heard Claire gasps subside. The whole ordeal seemed to take it out of her, because just as soon as she snapped out of it, sleep seemed to invade her mind, and soon she was lightly snoozing on the couch.

"She's gonna be okay." Rebecca looked up, managing a small grin. Leon spun around and faced Chris.

"You," he pointed at his brother-in-law, "Come with me. I need to talk to you. . .alone."

Chris nodded and followed Leon as they entered the library. After Leon locked the door, he met Chris while rubbing a hand over his dry mouth.

"Okay, you obviously know what's going on. It has something to do with what you two encountered on that island. I want to know everything. About the lugers, about those crazy people you ran into, everything," Leon said in almost one breath.

"I'm not at liberty to say!" Chris stepped forward, looking Leon right in the eye.

"I'm her husband! I have a right to know why my wife is having nightmares and panic attacks!"

For once, Leon wasn't about to let Chris off the hook just because he felt inferior.

"Now, up until now I've been quiet. I've minded my own business. Through Claire's hardships and even through her beating, I assumed that she would tell me when she was ready. You're the only one who really knows what is going on inside her head, and if I am to help her, I need you to tell me. Isn't it my liberty to know?"

Chris whirled around and sat in one of the cushy chairs by the fire place. He brought up a hand and pointed at the chair across from him.

"Have a seat."

Leon timidly sat and rubbed his cold hands against his slacks. Chris stared into the fire, his eyes glowing.

"I've seen those lugers before." Leon rested back in his chair.

"Go on." Right now, Leon was prepared for anything. Chris stroked his own hands and continued.

"When I got the email from you, I went to look for her. Leon, when I saw that island, I thought she was dead."

Chris ran a hand through his dark, brown hair.

"The place was completely decimated. A blast of some sort, it looked as if the place had been blown to bits. The only places the weren't totally demolished were the Military Training Facility, and some sort of palace.

"When I was inside the Training Facility, I found a desk. Inside was gun. I was shocked when I saw Claire waving around the same gun a moment ago."

"So, your saying Claire found the same kind of lugers when she was there, only these hold a more sentimental value?" Leon scratched his head.

"I don't think sentimental is the right word."

"What about the note? The one that said 'Trade you' she freaked when she saw that. Could those crazy people she ran into have anything to do with it?"

"The Ashfords? No, I don't think so. They carried around jewels."

Leon's head snapped up at he name Ashford. The image of Claire tripping over the sheet in the hallway ran through his head. Almost as if watching a movie.

_"What were you saying? Before you fell?"_

_"It's not big deal. This hall just reminds me of the Ashford Mansion."_

The conversation was so clear, it was almost like listening to a radio.

"What?" Chris had one eyebrow cocked.

"Claire . . she said this place reminded her of the Ashford Mansion. I knew I heard that name before."

Chris let out a deep sigh.

"That doesn't sound good." The room was still for a second. "So, get comfortable. I'll tell you everything I know."

**_I I I_**

"Man, she's out of it," Carlos said staring at Claire's still form. "Who knew such little thing could set her off?" Rebecca rocked her head in agreement. "You did great by the way."

He gave her a soft smile. Rebecca reached out and rubbed his legs as if you say thank you.

"What do you think they're talking about?" Rebecca asked, throwing her head toward the library door.

"I don't know. I hope they get done soon, so Leon could take her up stairs and watch her. So I can go to bed."

"You don't have to stay here, I'll keep an eye on her for you. After all, I'm the medical tec. If you don't, that's also okay . I enjoy the company." Carlos chuckled.

"Yeah, I'll stay." He looked around the room. "Where is everyone else?"

"Sherry, Barry, and Jill are in the dinning room. Clearing everything away. Ada's in bed. Claire's passed out. And Chris and Leon," she pointed to the double doors.

"And what about you and me?" Carlos asked softly.

"Are you hitting on me?"

He flashed her a toothy grin.

"Maybe."

Rebecca looked him up and down. Carlos stared down at her. She really did have very nice lips. He was beniding down to get a better look at them when Claire bolted up right on the couch, causing Rebecca and Carlos to jump apart. Claire stared around for a minute, then she found the pair watching her on the piano bench.

"Where's Leon?"

Carlos and Rebecca mutely pointed at the double doors again. Claire swiftly got up and crossed the hall. She tugged at the doors, only to find it didn't budge.

"It's locked," Carlos told her. "He needed to talk to your brother."

_"Alone,"_ Rebecca emphasized. Claire stood there, staring at the doors. Finally, she pulled her gaze away and started to walk up the stairs.

"When he's done, tell him I went to bed," Claire muttered groggily and she carefully watched her step to get up to her room. As soon as she was out of sight and earshot, Carlos turned to Rebecca.

"Ya know, when you said _alone_, it didn't sound important. It sounded gay."

That statement earn him a good swat across the head.

**_I I I_**

She had to do something, or go mad. But what could she do? She laid on her bed, the same spot where the lugers had been. The very thought made her sick to her stomach.

_Trade you._

What did it mean? Was she overreacting? Was Ada playing some sick joke on her? Was Wesker any part of this? Or was Steve really there? Alive? Had he been in this very room?

To many questions. Blood was going to come shooting out of her nose if she kept up her deep thoughts. Right now, anything was possible. Leon had thought Ada was dead, and here she was.

Her thoughts drifted back to the note. She hadn't told anyone about what she and Steve had encountered. She had only informed Chris of his and death. He had died declaring his love to her. But she had never been able to say the same. It wasn't how she felt. She had assumed that on some unconscious level, her heart always belonged to Leon.

She didn't mean that in a corny, cheesy, trashy love novel sort of way. They had grown close after Raccoon. He had also been very against her going off to Paris to find her brother. He almost came along. Claire thanked to everything holey that he handn't. What if it had been him instead of Steve?

What if he had been the one to die?

True. She had been attracted to Steve. She had cared for him deeply. In the midst of all the horror that had gone on around them, she had caught herself flirting with him once or twice. His death had effected her in a way she never thought possible. But she just couldn't bring her self to love him. She had only been with him for a short time, and it was still hard for her to believe that he had been in love with her.

As she looked back on their time together, she could sense some interest that he had for her. A memory sprang into her mind. One that was long forgotten. When she and Steve had found themselfs getting weak, and as a result, tried to get something to eat out of the candy machine.

_"Just kick it!" he had said. _

_Claire brought her boot up and crashed it into the glass. It cracked, but did not break. _

_"Here, let me do it," he said rolling his eyes. She rested her head against the wall, her body felt as if it were going to melt._

_"I hope Leon got my email."_

_Steve stopped rocking the machine back and forth and looked at her._

_"Is he, like, your boyfriend or something?" _

_"That's none of your damn business," she had wanted to shout back, but reluctantly told the truth._

_"No, he's just a good friend." _

_He continued rocking the machine again, and for a split second, she thought she could see a smirk play on his lips._

It was so obvious now that she looked back on it. But if it was true, and he was the one who gave her the note, the man who claimed to care for her so deeply that he would sacrifice himself to protect her. Then why would he go about it in such a cruel way?

She was going to burst into tears. To much to think about in one night. To much to happen in one night. To much stress, all she needed was a good night sleep. Just one night without nightmares, or psycho pranks. Just one night of being well rested and she would be able to battle anything that came her way.

_Just one night._

The door creaked open, and sheknew it was Leon in the room. She heard him shut the door softly behind him, and she soon felt his weight on the bed. Sitting next to her, his eyes on her.

"What were you and my brother talking about?" she spoke, her eyes still closed.

"Everything. The lugers. The Ashfords. . .Steve." Claire didn't like where this was going. "What happened back there?"

"It was nothing. I got a little worked up. You go into a room, you find a note, and guns. I was just stressed and I freaked out. It's no big deal."

Her eyes cracked open to stare at the wall.

"I'm talking about with Steve." She held her breath. The edge in his voice was unmistakable. "What happened with you and him.?"

There was something else. Something in his voice she couldn't detect. Was it jealousy?

"He died," her answer was short. But she knew what he wanted. If the lugers and him had anything in common.

"And before that?"

"I needed some lugers. I was going to use them as a key to open a door. Steve had those and he said he'd trade me if I gave him something better."

_That didn't come out right,_ she decided.

"What did you give him?"

His voice was shaking, as if he were afraid to ask. For a split second she thought of pulling a cruel prank on him, but she wiped the thought just as soon as it entered.

She rolled over, smiling tenderly at him, she reached out and took his hand.

"A machine gun."

She heard a gust if breath surge out of his mouth. Followed by a small laugh. Even more of his weight came flooding down next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"You're safe now," he whispered.

"I know."

But deep down she knew he was telling her, and she was letting herself believe a comforting lie.

**_I I I_**

"It's freezing in this place," Jill complained as they walked out of the kitchen. Chris had just come back form his conversation with Leon.

"I think Ada said there was a shack full of firewood out back," Chris said, sticking a poker in the fireplace, picking at the dying flames.

"There is."

The sound of Ada's voice echoed throughout the hall as she stood over the balcony, next to the stairs. She stood in her nightgown. Sleep apparently sleep didn't come easy to her either.

"I'll go get some," Chris said walking over to get his coat. Jill stopped him by resting a soft hand on his arm.

"No, I got it. You just relax."

Chris shook his head no, but Jill insisted further. Chris caved in, knowing it was just as effective arguing with Jill, as it was arguing with Claire. Impossible.

"Where is it?" Jill asked whirling around and looking up at Ada's form above her.

"Just around the back. I think you'll see a small shack," she paused. " Be careful, the snow is  
quite deep."

Jill waved a hand at her before disappearing through the front door.

**_I I I_**

She was right.

Jill was practically hitting her chest with her knees, trying to get past the snow. She looked around. Everything was dark. Why did this remind her so much of the Spencer Estate? She half expected a hunter to spring out and gash her to bits.

Maybe she should sing a psalm? That might ease her mind. That's what she used to do when her parents made her take out the trash late at night when she was a child. Afraid that a monster would jump out and eat her. But in her world, monsters were real. And anything was possible.

Where was this shack? Off in the distance, she thought she could hear the romp of snow. Chris. he'd gone out to help her.

"Chris! I got it. Go inside!" she shouted. It stopped.

Good. He got the hint.

She smiled, although she didn't feel it. Frost was beginning to stick to her face. She covered her mouth with her hand. Then, she saw it. The shack. Thank goodness. She slowly made her way there.

The small wooden door opened with some reluctance. Pounding on it, she was able to open it a crack, before throwing her body into it, causing her fall through, and hit the wall, and stumble into the pile of wood.

_At last._

She grinned as she found what she had been looking for. Her joy was tainted as she heard crunching of the snow behind her. Footsteps.

"Chris, it's fine, I found it."

He stopped in the doorway. The room seemed to get colder.

"Chris?"

The door was being shut behind her.

"Not quite," said a low, deep, familiar voice, with a hint of arrogance. Her stomach turned to mush as she realized who it was. She whirled around to see the worst possible sight.

"Wesker," she breathed the words, more then said them. He smiled his same evil smile.

"Nice to see you, Jill."

Her eyes scanned the room, looking for anything to use as a defense. Her eyes caught the axe in the corner. She dove for it. But he was fast. In one full swoop, it was in his hand.

"No, no, no," his tone held mockery. "You know what the most wonderful things about snow storms are?" Jill fell to her knees. "They burry evidence. Burnside, come here and help me take care of her."

A young man appeared behind him.

"My pleasure."

His toothy grin made Jill want to vomit. Her eyes met the man that Wesker called Burnside. In that moment she held his gaze, and then. . .

Blackness.

_**To be continued**_. . .

**Tre0220: Dude, thanks for the email, and the review. I sent you one, but I'm not sure you got it.**

I really am glad that you told me that. I would have kept spelling it wrong. My french teacher is  
big on spelling to. But what can you do. Thanks for the review.

Bludevil34: yeah, I hate to say it. But Steve does have a role in this story. It might be big, it  
might be small, but he's here. But he's not the center character. Thanks for the review, your  
rock!

Darryl-Flower: Thanks. I worked hard on those chapters and it's nice to know someone noticed.  
Thank you for the review.

Saunce: Aww, I made your day. How sweet! Thank you. You made mine just by telling me  
that. You keep playing CV for that part? Are you sure you're not pro women violence? JK. I  
don't have CVX, But I wish I did! Thanks for the review!

Dale: ha! No, no, you are awesome. You said I was a genus. I've never been called that before.  
I like it, I like it. Thank you so much for your wonderful review.

Tifa Redfield: What can I say? I love every single one of your reviews. I also love your little  
chapter analysis. I think those just rock. And you are so sweet!(I loved the last chapter of your  
story by the way.) I know you will reach 200 reviews. That's not a dream at all. It's gonna  
happen. Yeah, I'll have to send you an addy. So cool. Thank you so much!

Daniella: I have you chills? Hehe, I've never done that before. Thank you for the review!

**Did you know that. . .**

**Leon was going to be in CV? He was going to go there, and die. But he was so popular, that they replaced him with Steve. Pretty cool, huh? Although it probably also mean that it was Leon who was supposed to fall for Claire. So instead of a romance between Leon and Claire, Leon is a alive and well. . . and a total douche.**


	7. Like flies

Sometimes they Come Back

Diddly day

Disclaimer: Nope, they ain't mine.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. I've just had loads to do. (Does watching TV, and scratching you butt count?) Hope you guys think this chapter was worth the wait.

Chapter seven.

His hands were like ice. That was what woke him out of his peaceful dream world. He could feel his body shaking, trying to keep warm. Chris squinted around him. His face flushed and his teeth chattering. Why the hell was it so cold?

The room seemed darker. Chris racked his brain trying to remember what he was dong before he feel into a deep slumber. A picture of Jill grabbing her coat flashed through his mind. She had gone to get wood for the fire.

He shook his head from side to side, trying to shake the sleep from him. He must have dozed off when she left. The fire was out. She should've been back by now.

Slowly, Chris rose to his feet. He brought a hand up over his head and rubbed the back of his skull. Outside he could hear the wind howling, pounding outside his door. It was the only noise, nothing could be heard inside the old, dusty Mansion. Chris stood there just listening to the wind, he was captivated by it. The creaking of the hardwood floor broke him out of his trance. He jerked his head him surprise.

"Whoa! It's me!" Carlos stood in the shadows. "You sure look freaked. Where's Jill?"

Chris just shook his head.

"How long was it since Jill left?" Chris asked.

Carlos look bewildered by Chris's question.

"Two hours ago. You mean she didn't come back?" Fear seemed to play it's way through Carlos's features.

"I fell asleep. She's still out there," Chris stared at the door once more.

"You don't think she went to bed?" Chris ran a hand through his hair.

"What's going on?" Leon's figure was on the stairs. His face glowing and eyes puffy.

"Jill left a while ago. She hasn't come back yet," Chris looked frightened. "Come on, lets go look for her."

"Look for who?" Rebecca's voice carried behind them. Carlos spun around.

"Jill," he said. Rebecca's eyes grew wide.

"You mean she hasn't come back yet?"

Chris raised his hands in the air. Leon started down the stairs. He stumbled a bit in the dark. Rebecca let out a yelp in fear that he might fall down.

"Grab my coat will you?" Leon asked, still stumbling around, his hands in front of him.

"Why can't you grab it?" she asked with some disdain. Leon's head snapped in the direction of her voice.

"I don't have my glasses on."

The sound of Carlos guffaw rebounded throughout the room.

"You have glasses?" a smile twiddling on his face.

"Yeah, I mostly wear contact's. I'm still a crack shot with a gun," Leon retorted. Carlos continued to smile and nod his head.

"Can we get going please?" Chris said impatiently at the door.

"Rebecca, will you go wake Sherry and Claire up? I want Claire to watch over her while we're gone," Leon asked, then he added. "Just in case."

Rebecca nodded slightly and headed up the stairs. They all met Chris at the door. Leon fumbled with his coat, reaching into one of the pockets, he found his pair of specs. He put them on his face and followed Chris and Carlos out the door.

The wind and ice sent a chill down Chris's spine. He hated winter, ever since he was a kid he hated the cold. He and Claire sometimes used to build snow forts, but that was always for Claire's benefit. He would have rather been inside reading a book, or playing chess with his dad.

He looked around him. Freshly fallen snow had managed to make Jill's footprints disappear. The door slammed making Chris's, Leon's, and Carlos's head snap around to find Rebecca on the porch.

"I told Claire to go in Sherry's room!" she shouted above the wind that had so dramatically picked up. Leon nodded as did Chris. Carlos just stared back at her and smiled.

"Well, then lets get going!" Chris bellowed back. Each of them started to romp through the snow.

Carlos and Chris grabbed their flashlights from out of their pockets, and Leon pulled his hood up to keep the snowflakes from sticking to his glasses. Rebecca's scarf flew back, hitting her in the face. Each of them stumbling around in the knee high snow. Chris had his hand out, tracing it along the Mansion wall.

"At least we don't have to worry about any killer dogs jumping out and attacking us!" Rebecca hollered.

Carlos tripped in the snow, causing him to fall flat on his face. Leon seized him, pulling him up. Carlos's face was now caked in snow. He reeled around, searching for something.

"My flashlight! I can't find it!" Carlos fell the his knee's. his hands brushing the snow away, looking for any light that tell him where it was. Leon looked up and saw that Chris and Rebecca were getting further away.

"Leave it! We gotta get going!" Leon hauled Carlos up to his feet, and pair sprinted, as fast as they could sprit in a blizzard, to Rebecca, who in turn, was grabbing on Chris's coat for dear life. Chris appeared to be the only one who knew where he was going.

Chris pulled his way around the snow, looking for any sign of Jill. He feared that maybe she had fallen and that the snow had now swallowed her alive. That thought made Chris's stomach drop. His lunges hurt from the freezing wind that he was breathing. His eyes scanned his whereabouts. There had to be some clue, any clue, to show where Jill had gone.

"Look! Over there!" Leon's hand was pointing to an old, rickety shack. The shack that she had gone to get firewood. "You think she could be in there?"

It was a good chance. Chris faced Leon.

"Lets find out!" The four paced toward the drafty looking shed.

As they came to it, Carlos attained the doorhandle. Jerking it back, the wind carried it with such force, that it hit the side of the wall. They all stepped in. The wind was now blocked around them, but they could still hear it violently shaking the window pain. Carlos shut the door behind them. Chris's flashlight roamed around the room. There was only one word to describe this shack:

Empty.

The beam of light that gleamed from his flashlight stopped on a pile of firewood. It had been touched. The wood was knocked over. Chris faced Leon, who's glasses were now fogging up. Leon pulled them off of his face and wiped them on his shirt. The look on Leon's face confirmed what Chris had suspected. She had been here.

"Were could she have gone?" asked Rebecca, gazing out the steamed up window. "She came out here to get fire wood. Why would he come in here, and leave?"

Chris put his head in his hands. He was going to go crazy, he had no idea why things were happening like this.

Carlos strolled around the shack. His foot hit something. The small log of wood that he mistakenly kicked, rolled along the bumpy wood floor and smacking up against the axe that sat on it's side, close to the corner of the room. He bent down and picked up the wood. Something oozed off of it. The red liquid drained off the wood into a puddle of blood that was next to the axe.

Carlos dropped the wood and fell backwards, crashing into the bank of logs.

"What's wrong?" Leon gazed down at him. All Carlos could do was point. They both heard Rebecca gasp.

"Chris, Leon, you guys better look at this!"

They all gathered around the smeared blood. The sight was almost to much for Chris to take. He was going to vomit. Just the idea of what that axe had been used for was enough to make him go mad. Leon, however, stared down in shock.

"Chris, calm down, I don't think that axe was used for Jill." His voice soothed the rest of the gang. "There is no blood on it," he stated calmly.

"Then why is there blood at all?" Chris snapped. Leon just stared back at him.

"Who says it's blood?" Leon grunted as he gapped at Chris.

"What do you think it is? Corn syr-"

"We need to get back." Rebecca interrupted as she stood between the two men.

"No way!" Carlos cried as he gathered himself to his feet. "We can't go back without her! She could be dying, or dead."

"But if we don't leave now, we might not leave at all," she replied. The hint of fear was concentrated in her strong voice.

"Rebecca's right," Leon spoke up. "We weren't prepared for this. We don't have the manpower."

Carlos and Chris eyed each other. Leon sighed, he was growing impatient. "Look, I'd like to find her too, but I think the risks of that are just way too foolish."

Deep down, they all knew he was right.

"So that's it? We just leave her here?" Chris voice quivered with anger.

"She couldn't have gone far. It's only been about two hours. There is no way she could have gotten lost, not when the snow if falling that fast or that deep." Leon made slight gestures with his hands, trying to get Chris to calm down as he spoke. "She's not stupid."

"What if it was Claire? Would you want to hurry back so quickly?" Carlos snapped. Leon's head jerked and his eyes flashed dangerously.

"You both are being too rash!" Leon hissed. "Now we can stay out here with no food or water, with one dying flashlight and freeze to death. Or we could go back for help, get what we need and then find her."

Chris and Carlos grew silent.

"The snow is falling quickly," Rebecca stated, her eyes once again glued to the window. "We could get snowed in this shack if we don't leave soon."

"I guess there is no point in saving Jill if all of us are dead," Carlos admitted. He pulled his coat around him tighter. Lone put a comforting hand on Chris's shoulder.

"Don't worry. We will find her," he muttered. Leon passed him and before he opened the door, he turned back around.

"Alive," he added before he disappeared through the door and into the storm.

I I I

"Were did they all go?" asked Sherry, who was sitting on her bed. Claire sat on the windowsill, her eyes gazing at the gust of snow that was so rapidly pounding against the house.

"They went looking for something, sweety."

Her head was still throbbing with the stress of the events that the day had brought. If there was a way to top off a hard and stressful day, one of their friends disappearing in a storm was defiantly it.

She had been asleep when she felt a hand on her shoulder. At first she thought it was Leon, but then she heard Rebecca's voice, telling her that Jill had disappeared. They were going to go look for her out in the storm and that Leon had asked for her to look after Sherry.

Leon was with them? Before she could insist that she go also, Rebecca was gone. With nothing left to do, she got up and headed toward Sherry's room. That had been a half-hour ago, and here she was, peering out into the countless, white blizzard.

"Claire," Sherry's small voice sounded a little timid.

"Yeah honey?" Claire tried to make herself sound as cheery as possible. All the while keeping her eyes focused on the snow outside.

"Something bad happened, didn't it?" Claire snapped her attention away from the window to gaze at the teenager. She looked very apprehensive, as if expecting the worst.

"Yeah, it did."

She knew Sherry was going to ask what so she thought she'd save her the energy. "We can't find Jill." The air seemed to heave out of Sherry's lungs. "She's disappeared."

The sound of pounding on the front door made both Sherry and Claire jump. The two observed each other. They both slid out of Sherry's room and steadily make their way down to the ground floor.

It was dark, and the air was so cold that Claire could almost see her breath. The pounding continued once more. Making Claire freeze in her position for only a split second. Claire stopped as she thought she could hear muffled voices on the other side of the door.

"Will you hurry up?" one of them said.

"I'm sorry! I must've dropped the key when I lost my flashlight!"

"Are you _sure?"_ a women's voice asked.

"Great, well just freeze out here tonight, they'll find out bodies tomorrow morning."

At that last sentence, Claire heard only what she could describe as a struggle behind the main enteric. She was about to go open the door when she heard a man shout.

"Got it!" he yelled and the door flew open.

The blast of cold wind and snow almost knocked Claire off her feat as Rebecca, Carlos, Chris, and Leon flew through the door. Leon's eyes met Claire's. He smiled and she smiled back.

"Didn't you hear our knocking?" he asked as he went over the kiss her on the lips.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, I wasn't sure if that was you or-"

"I did have the key!" Carlos shouted triumphantly, holding up a golden key with snow and drops of water flying everywhere.

"Told you," Rebecca said, wiping the snow off her coat.

"Did you find her?" asked Claire. Chris only sadly shook his head in response.

"We decided we couldn't stick around. We had to come back for help." Chris turned around and met the gaze of Sherry who was looking whiter then legs during the winter time.

"Well, what are we supposed to do now?" asked Carlos, unzipping his coat and throwing it on the rack.

"I think there is a CB radio somewhere around here," Rebecca said strolling over to the couch. "Doesn't Ada know where it is?"

"Yeah, I'll go get her," said Chris running up the stairs and to Ada's room. Claire looked over at Leon again.

"You wore your glasses, huh?" She smiled as they were starting to fog up again. He blushed and pulled them off his face.

"How long have you had those?" asked Rebecca.

"I've only known about them since we've gotten married," Claire shrugged. Leon whipped them again.

"A while," he responded.

Before any of them could change the subject, Chris came whirling down the stairs, almost falling head over heels. He whizzed passed them and into the kitchen. He was in there for a second, before he came rushing out again this time followed by Barry who had a carton of milk in his hand.

"What in the blazes is going on?" Barry demanded. Chris caught his breath.

"Ada's gone."

The room fell speechless.

"What the hell do you mean by gone?" Rebecca shouted, jumping up to meet him.

"I mean I can't find her anywhere. I went in her room, she's not there. I called out her name all upstairs and she wasn't in the kitchen."

"Oh man not her too!" Carlos covered his face with his hands.

"Too?" asked Barry confused.

"We can't find Jill either."

Barry dropped his milk carton. White liquid splashed all over the floor.

"We need to get help," Rebecca's desperation was overwhelming to the group.

"Now hold on, hold on," Barry said urgently. "They couldn't have just vanished. They must be somewhere. We'll find them. All we need to do his split up and search the house. And in the meantime, one of us can call for help on the CB."

"Lets split up, and see what we can find," Leon said, grabbing Claire's hand and pulling her up the stairs. "We'll search this floor."

"Sherry," Rebecca turned to her small friend. "Come with me up to the attic, I'm pretty sure the CB is up there somewhere."

Carlos, Chris and Barry all gazed at each other.

"I guess that just leaves us." Barry started to head toward the basement. Carlos and Chris were soon to follow.

I I I

The door to Ada's room creaked as Leon pulled it open. She was nowhere. To Leon's surprise, her bed even looked untouched. What was going on? Claire was already sorting through the drawers and shelves of her room. She pulled out clothes, shoes, and jewelry.

"Sick," Claire muttered as she tossed a tampon on the bed. Leon snickered.

"What's this?" asked Claire as she brushed the bangs away from her face. She held up a piece of paper. "A memo of some sort?" Her eyes scanned it and then handed it over to Leon.

"More like a fax, or letter, I'm not sure."

Leon started to read it.

TO: _The Head of the Research Department._

FROM: _**N**__ational __**E**__xperimental of __**XX U**__sage __**S**__upplement_

As you may know, our Agency has completed the research on the new "R-Virus." It has the ability to kill off any emotion that a human posses, all except the rage emotion. Inducing the victim to murder anyone who stands in his/her way. We have been able to complete this virus insomuch that is it has been name one of our greatest accomplishments.

We have now concluded that if a human is infected with this virus, it will have to take up to 3-5 hours to fully destroy an emotion that he/she undergoes. This virus is such a success because after the human realizes what they have done, they will kill themself. Therefor demolishing any remaining evidence whatsoever. This virus concluding name will be the "R-virus" (Rage-virus) as presented at the beginning of the memo.

We look forward to the completion of your assignment.

Assistant Director John Trevor

"That's the virus that Ada warned us about!" Claire declared.

"But we already knew she was working with a different organization. This really doesn't tell us anything."

"She said she didn't know anything about it," Claire sat down on the bed. "What the hell is National Experimental XX Usage Supplement anyway?"

"I don't think it's a real organization," Leon stated. "Anything jump out at you in the heading? Anything catch you eye?"

"Yeah, that fact that all the first letters are in bold, and the double X's. What do those stand for?" Claire stared as Leon's eyes ran over the paper. After about five minutes of staring, his eyes lit up.

"Put the first letter of each word together. It spells _NEXXUS_."

"A code," Claire jumped off the bed. "She knows more about the R-Virus than she's letting on. Come on! We have to tell the other's about this!"

She sprinted down the hall and down the stairs, as Leon has seen her do earlier that night.

"Hey!" she shouted. "Guys!" No one came. Leon and Claire looked oddly at one another.

"I'll head downstairs and go get them. You head upstairs and get Sherry and Rebecca."

Claire nodded.

"Right."

She jogged the rest of the way up the stairs. He watched her until she was out of sight before starting to head to the basement. But before he could take one step, Chris and Carlos came huffing up the stairs. Fear gleamed in each of their eyes.

"Barry's gone too!" Carlos piratically blared. Leon looked at Chris. Chris only gave him a scared and sad nod.

"How in everything holey did that happen?" Leon sighed. His last thread of sanity was close to being cut.

"He said he was going to check the wine seller," Carlos huffed. "When he didn't come back, we went to check on him and all we found were broken wine bottles and shattered wood."

As the words left his mouth, Leon could feel a piercing pain creeping up the back of his head. Then. . . .Claire.

He let Claire go up there alone.

"Oh no."

He started to sprint up the steps when he just about rammed into his wife, running about just as fast in the opposite direction. She was safe!

"Sherry and Rebecca are gone!" He could feel her hand on his back. "The CB was smashed too," she whispered in his ear. Chris and Carlos stood behind them.

"What are we going to do?" asked Carlos.

"We're dropping like flies," Leon uttered.

The only question was. . . Who was next?

**To be continued. . . .**

A/N: Okay, this chapter sucks. Yes, yes. I realize how fast I made them disappear, but I had to, and I really didn't want to stretch out the story. So deal with it! Just kidding. That part about this chapter sucks, that and the corny one-liner and finished it up with.

**Author's note update: There are many corny one liners in this story. I wasn't trying to go for "campy" when I first wrote this, but well. . .let's just call this story campy.**

But oh well, chapter eight has been reviewed to be my best chapter.

Tifa Redfield: I know! I know! I've just been so busy. When is the boy is mine gonna be up? Ummmmm? Thank you so much for your nice review. I wish I could write reviews like you. I'm just not articulate. I hope Leon is in RE4. He better be or I'm gonna cry. It's nice to know you want more. You are such an awesome writer. I think it's just wonderful how you boost me to do better. You have no idea how that influences me. I thank you a billion times over. Thank you Thank you, Thank you, ect.( You get the point. )

Brandon B: Hey nice to hear from you again. You always write cool things. I think everyone is glad they didn't kill him off. He's way cool! Thanks!

Shin: blushes You always know what to say. Thanks for making my day, (hey that rhymed) I"m a poet. . .and I didn't even know it! hahaha. Thanks for the review!

Saunce: glad to know you've gotten your Steve fix. Yeah, he'll be in later chapters. I'll go more into his character. So it's all good. Thanks a bunch for your cool reviews. You're a regular reviewer, I think that's awesome. Thank you so much! PS: you're cool!

Santiago: I'm glad he wasn't in CV either. You have no idea how much it was nice to hear you enjoyed my story. 110? How cool! Thanks for the review!

Himmler: Stephen King had a story with his title? I didn't know that! I'll have to read it. . . or watch it.(movie or book? Or both?) Thanks for the review.

Did you know that?

If you play as Steve in battle mode, when you go up to a pop machine and click on it, he will look for his wallet and then kick the machine. I thought that was worth sharing.

Also, when you play on first person. Go into the room(during battle mode) where you first meet the hunters, and if you go to the elevator, look behind the crates, you'll see Rodrigo! Freaky!

Diddly day


	8. To the spiders nest

_**Sometimes they Come Back**_

_**Disclaimer: Nothing is mine.**_

_**Chapter eight:**_

"They couldn't have just disappeared!" Chris shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. Leon sat on the couch, his head in his hands. Claire, behind him staring at the empty fireplace.

"Well, that's what it sure as hell looks like!" Carlos snapped. At his harsh words, Leon jumped up and fiercely pointed at Carlos, all the while his blue eyes burning into his cinnamon ones.

"Don't panic!" Leon yelled. "I swear, sometimes I wonder how you made it through Raccoon," Leon muttered as he sat back down on the sofa.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Carlos spat. Chris whipped around, and before Leon even had the chance to defend himself, Chris was barking in Carlos face.

"That means whatever the hell you want it to mean!"

With that, the hall erupted into shouts and words of venom. All the while Claire standing perfectly still in front of the fireplace. Chris and Carlos bitting one another's head off, with Leon, trying to act as the peacemaker, and getting screamed at in the process.

"Have you got an ice seckel stuck up your ass?" The room got quiet at as the words left Chris's lips. Carlos's eyes bulged out of his head, and Leon shot a look of utter shock in Chris's direction.

"Can you blame me? Huh? I'm stuck in this hell hole, with my friends dropping off the face of the earth. Who knows who's gonna be next, and not to mention it's colder then the dark side of the moon is this damn Mansion!"

Carlos spun away from Chris when he was finished, with Chris clutching his fists.

"Fine! Fine. You want heat? You say you're cold? Well, I can fix that."

Chris grabbed the small wooden chair next to the piano. Swinging it back as if it were a twig, he smashed against the china cabinet.

Glass flew across the hall like water droplets. The cold shimmering of the china crunched as splinters of wood exploded against Chris's pounding blows. He did not cease as the once tiny chair lay mutilated on the hard, cold floor. He swung his boot back, causing it to come crashing into the already deformed cabinet. His foot broke through the wood like a hot knife slicing butter. He stomped, stuck, trampled until there was nothing left but a heap of broken glass and demolished wood.

"There's your firewood," Chris whispered, standing in the middle of the mess.

No one voiced a word. He covered his face with his hands, trying to hide the tears that were threatening to flow. Both Leon and Carlos stared at the glass that sparkled like diamonds in the pale moonlight.

"Chris?" Claire's comforting, soft, smooth voice came from behind them. They all turned to look at her. Her eyes hadn't shifted from the spot at the fireplace.

"Yeah?" his voice was softer now, almost on the brink of a breakdown. Claire turned around, not bothering looking at the chaos Chris had made.

"Did you hear Barry scream? Yell? Anything like that before he disappeared?" She held such grace, such calmness. Chris furrowed his brow, trying to remember.

"No. No, I didn't hear anything." Claire turned her eyes to Carlos.

"No, I didn't either. In fact, all I heard was glass breaking, I assumed he must have knocked over one of the wine bottles. Why?" Carlos eyes held light for the first time that night. He was curious to see where she was getting at.

"Because when I think about it, I never heard Rebecca or Sherry scream. I never heard Ada scream, and I never heard anything breaking, like the CB."

Leon tossed a glace at her.

"Yeah, I never heard anything either. It's as if they vanished without a trace."

The room was silent for only an instant.

"What if they were lead away?" Claire announced.

"Lead away?" Leon ran a hand through his hair.

"What if they didn't put up a fight?" Claire said, staring at her husband. Chris's eyes bulged out of his head. He couldn't believe what his sister was implying.

"You mean they went voluntarily?" Chris almost shouted. Claire put her hand up to shush him.

"No, that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying something could have made them want to keep quite."

"What about the CB? I didn't hear that being smashed into a million pieces," Leon stated.

"What if it was already broken?" Carlos, who had only said a few words ever since Chris's outburst.

They all stared at each other. That made perfect sense. The CB probablyhad already been trashed when they came to the chilly mansion. The realization hit all of them. It was a trap. And no one wanted them to get out.

"What are we going to do?" asked Chris. Claire looked at the floor.

"We can't go looking for them. We tried that the first time, and look what happened!" Carlos's panicked voice was not settling Chris's nerves. He looked up at Leon to ask what he thought, when he saw Leon's eyes drooping. Chris looked at his watch, it was almost three in the morning.

"Maybe we should get some sleep," Chris suggested. He had seen this one too many times. Men would go out trying to do missions on lack of sleep, and then they would get themselves killed. Hell, it had almost happened with him at the Spencer Estate.

"I agree," Claire stepped up. "But one of us should stay awake, just to make sure nothing happens while we are all asleep."

"I'll stay up first," Leon volunteered. Chris was about to protest, but Leon interrupted." Look, I've gotten the most out of everyone here, trust me."

Chris shut his mouth again. He then turned and walked over to the couch.

"Fine, but when you get tiered, don't hesitate to wake me up," Chris said as he shut his eyes. Carlos followed Chris's actions.

"I'll stay up with you," Claire declared taking a seat next to Leon. Leon's head wrenched in her direction.

"No, you need your rest." Leon nudged his head over to the vacant seat next to Carlos and Chris.

"It's fine."

"Claire," Leon started. She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I'm not tired." She gave him the _don't you dare mess with me_ tone. He shushed himself, then threw an arm around her shivering body.

**_I I I_**

_Chris was right. The broken mess made good firewood_ Claire thought to herself as she watched fire dance.

She then turned to gaze to her husband to watch Leon deep in thought. She had insisted that he use it since it would have been a shame that they stay up to watch the remaining group, but instead freeze to death during the night.

Death.

The word made her head hurt. Something about this night was making her sense of mournfulness more thick then it had ever been in Raccoon or on Rock Fort. What was going on in this place? What did everybody disappearing and the lugers have to do with anything? What was the connection?

Steve, he was here, she knew it. She could feel it.

"Claire?"

She tugged her head over in Leon's direction. He was staring at the fire. He looked so innocent. Like a little boy who was going to tell his mother that he did something wrong.

"Yeah?" she smiled a warm smile. He looked her straight in the eye, but as soon as she met his gaze, his eyes feel to his hands. She watched as he rubbed them together.

"Nothing happened between you and Steve right? On that island I mean."

His question surprised her. She couldn't find her voice. It took her a moment, so she took a deep breath and spoke slowly.

"Why? Why would you think that?" She wasn't angry, just confused. She would have never thought that Leon would be jealous of anyone, let alone Steve. He ran a hand through his hair, something that Chris did. He was picking up on her brothers habits.

"It's. . .it's just," he paused. He was afraid to say. She nodded her head, urging him to continue. "Do you remember what I had said to you when you left? To find Chris?"

She had. And it still hurt her to think about it. How could she forget? A headache crept its way to her temples. The serge of pain centered itself behind her eyes. She pinched the bridge of her nose. The pain didn't go away. Her eyes shifted to him. He looked just as stressed as she felt. She'd never forget the day she left.

_It was selfish, but she knew that. But she didn't want him to know she was leaving. He would've never let her go if she had told him. She snaked herself into his small hotel room that he was staying in after Raccoon. It was early in the morning, and she needed to get her cell phone she had lent to him a few days before. The hum of the air-conditioner filled her ears, and the smell of a clean room calmed her a bit. Even in December, Arizona was still deathly sizzling._

_The cell phone was there, she knew it was in the room somewhere. She threw a glance at the bed, only to find him gone. He must have gone to get some ice. All the more reason for her to rush. _

_She shuffled around his messy sheets. The scent of him sent a thrill up her spine. Just knowing she was close to where he slept was enough to intoxicate her. She moved over to the end table. Through a few drawers. . .found it! _

_Holding it up she started to back away toward the door. She hadn't even heard it open._

_"What are you doing here?" Leon's cunning voice rippled behind her._

_She spun around in surprise, her bag strap slipped over her shoulder and landed on the floor with a thud. She scrambled to pick it up. His eyes followed her, then they fell onto the bag._

_"Where ya going?"_

_His brow furrowed at her. He tucked the paper he had purchased under his shoulder. She didn't answer._

_"Claire," he asked again. "Where are you going?" _

_She stood and brushed a few stray hairs away from her face._

_"I have a few lose ends to tie up." _

_A phrase she used when something was important. She could see his face lax, his eyes grew serious and his mouth twitched. He settled against the back of the door._

_"You're going away, aren't you?" his voice was detatched. Tired. Far off and distant._

_"I need to get going." She tried to brush past him. _

_But before he knew it, his hands were on her, gripping her with such force that it startled her. "Leon?" she almost shouted. She was about to tell him to let her go until she felt his body press against hers. All of the air escaped from her lungs._

_"Don't go." _

_He voice was rough but tender. And at the same time firm, yet gentle. Crossing between strength and shameful begging._

_She moved her mouth, but nothing, not even a squeak could came out of her mouth. His hands eased to her waist and rest there, pulling her closer. Her heart pounded and her breath quickened. So close. So personal. So intimate. _

_Claire somehow found the feeling in her arms and slid them up to his chest. She tried to push him away, but couldn't find the strength. He wouldn't budge._

_"I have to. I have to find my brother," she whispered weakly._

_He closed his eyes. She knew what he was thinking. Telling him so many times that she would leave to find him. Now that time was here, and it didn't seem like Leon was going to let her go so easily._

_"What about me? What about Sherry?" He opened his eyes to look at her again. His blue pools touched her, in a way that if she had stared into them any longer, she would've done anything for him._

_"You take care of Sherry until her aunt comes to pick her up. And besides, this isn't about you, or Sherry, or me. This is about Chris."_

_Leon dipped his head in a way that Claire felt a burning feeling in the pit of her stomach. Nervousness washed through her. Was he going to kiss her?_

_"Let me go with you," he murmered. _

_His face was inches away from hers. A million responses flew through her mind. 'I have to do this on my own' 'Leon that's crazy' 'You'll be killed' 'You can't, because I can't lose you' but only one sound leaked from her mouth._

_"No," barely a sound, hardly a whisper, she wondered if he had even heard her at all. His head pulled up and dropping his arms, he backed away from her. She felt suddenly cold without him near._

_"So that's just it? You're going to leave? Just like that?" Now he looked angry._

_"You don't understand-"_

_"Oh, I understand," he cut her off, "I understand that you want to leave us. You want to get yourself killed!" His voice was rising. Claire took a step closer, but he just stepped back. And that hurt._

_"It's not like that, and you know it!" Claire was beginning to feel desperate. She couldn't leave with him angry at her. Leon's face scrunched in pain._

_"What if you don't come back?"_

_"Why do you care?" she snapped. _

_Oh no. She wanted to take it back right then and there, but the look on his face told her all the damage had already been done. His face turned bright red._

_"Why do I care? You want to know why? Because Claire Redfield, you are the only thing that is keeping Sherry sane. You are now the closest thing she has to a mother. Also, you're the only reason that I'm still here. You keep my feet on the ground. And if you want to throw that all away, get yourself killed. Fine! Good riddance!"_

_His words stung._

_"Leon please!" she gasped. He turned his back to her._

_"Go, away. Go. Leave Sherry and I the hell alone," that was the straw that broke her. _

_The air was thick, so thick that Claire thought she might die if she was stuck in that room another second. She could feel the lump rise in her throat. Without saying another word, she moved to the door, and throwing once last heartbreaking glance, she drifted out. It wasn't until the latch of the lock closed that Claire allowed the tears to run freely down her face._

His eyes brought her back to the present. The memory was forever embedded in her brain. The light of the fire made his eyes glow. He looked beautiful. But she had neglected to give him an answer.

"Yeah, I remember what you said to me," she finally answered, responding to his earlier question.

"I just, was wondering if I had pushed you away," he struggled to get the words out. "I've always regretted saying those words to you."

"I know. You told me that the day I got back."

She smiled that first time that evening. The memory of him kissing her forehead, hugging her while whispering in her ear:_ I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I'm sorry_ at the airport flashed through her mind..

"I did?" She nodded.

"Mmm."

Just then Carlos shifted in his sleep, his lips slurred: "Becca."

"I've was worried that maybe I pushed you to Steve. That maybe I hurt you so much that you went to Steve for comfort." His comment almost made Claire laugh.

"No. Nothing happened between Steve and I."

His face relaxed. He stayed silent for a moment or so.

"I almost kissed you that day," he smiled at her. She grinned.

"I thought so."

His smiled widened.

He stood up and walked to her, pulling his seat behind him. He sat it next to her, and when they were both facing each other, he glided his hands to hold her face. He stared into her icy eyes. The reflection of the flames bounced off of them. He brought her face to his, and captured her lips with his.

She loved him. The best decision she ever made was marrying him. She felt him pull her closer, much like he did the day she left. When she thought she was going to burst from lack of air, he drew away. Pulling his lips far enough way to sigh.

"I'm sorry," he murmured before placing his lips back onto hers again.

He did that several times, pulling away and muttering words such as: _I never meant a word of it_ or _I love you. _His lips lightly sucked her top lip, and her tongue ran over his bottom lip. Her eyes closed, drunk of the sensation he was giving her. Finally he pulled away, for good.

"I won't let anything happen to you," he promised.

His hands still holding each side of her face. His thumb stroked her upper cheek. She reached out and grabbed his wrists.

"I'll die before I let that happen."

His words scared her. In her life, death wasn't an uncommon thing.

**_I I I_**

"I'll die before I let that happen."

Chris creaked one eye open. He was woken by someone talking. His eyes held his sister sitting in a chair next to the fire. Leon was cradling her head in his hands. Both of them were sitting intimately close to one another. He had a sudden suspicion that he had detected something very personal.

"Don't talk like that," Claire hushed. Leon looked as if he were about to lean in and kiss her.

"What in the blazes?" Chris sat up and Leon and Claire sprang away from one another.

"Sleep well?" Leon asked. Chris shook his head. He then turned to the roaring fire.

"I see you used the broken wood," Chris stated. Leon nodded slightly. "I'm ready for my shift  
now."

"Are you sure?" asked Claire she was starting to get up. Leon mimicked her as he rose from his chair next to the fire.

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Leon reached out, while tenderly grasping her hand, he guided Claire toward the couch. He plopped down next to her, and threw an arm around her. She nestled next to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Chris spied how exhausted the couple seemed. He hoped that Leon would take care of her.

Drawing a hand up over his eyes, he had no idea how he was going to be able to stay awake for the rest of the night.

**_I I I_**

Something cold, hard, and dangerous was pressing into his temple. Leon squinted his eyes to shake off his grogginess. The image of Chris passed out in the chair by the fire sent a chill up his spine.

The object pressed hard into his head, and a click of a gun echoed in his ear. He froze, expecting his life to end right then and there.

"Move, and you get to see your wife's brains blown out before you." The deep voice said.

It was so quite, that he couldn't tell if it was a man or a woman. Out of the corner of his eye he another person holding a small black revolver pointed and Claire's slumbering head. His palms grew sweaty and his heart lapsed.

"Now get up, slowly, without saying a word."

He took another glace at the muscular hand holding the revolver to his wife's head. The man's thumb cocked the gun when he didn't get up. Obediently, Leon stood up. He felt the gun dig into his back.

"Come with me," the voice said again. Leon gently, roughing trying to not make a sound, maneuvered around Claire and Chris, desperately afraid to wake them.

"Head for the stairs."

As he slowly climbed up the stairs, he pitched one last look at Claire. She lay comfortably on the couch. A man stood over her, holding the gun to her head. He couldn't have been more than nineteen. Leon watched him for an instant, the way the boy was staring at her made Leon's blood turn to ice. The boy was staring at her with hungry eyes. Nothing but pure want reflected in those hard green emeralds that blazed in the firelight.

The gun jammed alarmingly deeper in his back.

"Don't worry," his stranger said behind him, "he'll take good care of her."

Leon's faced burned with fury. Nonetheless, he reluctancy scuffed his feet up the stairs. For a split second he thought about shouting out to warn them, he didn't care if he died, but then a remembrance of the boy with the gun. She would die if he did anything like that. So, pressing forward to his doom, Leon's feet marched up the steps.

Where was he being taken? The figure behind him seemed to be directing him to the end of the hallway. It was to dark for him to see, but he soon found himself in front of a door.

"Step inside," his captor urged.

Shakily, his hand wrapped itself around the cold metal of the knob. The door shuddered open. He hoped that it would wake up the gang, he hoped that anything woke them up. He stepped inside the dark room.

The door shut behind him. Beads of sweat were making it's way down his face. Without warning the click of the light switch was heard and all darkness from the room disappeared.

Finding himself standing in the center of Ada's room. The first thing his eyes held was a tall, blond haired man, dressed in black with matching shades standing before him. The man flung a terrible grin in his direction. His vampire-like-fangs gleamed.

"Don't be alarmed. He won't hurt you," the person said behind him. "Yet," the low, sexy voice growled out.

Spinning around, he found himself face to face with none other then miss Ada Wong. She stood next to the door, holding a rather large pistol toward him. A similar feeling ran through him. He sensed that he had been thrown back in time, in Raccoon, with the mysterious woman in red.

"Once a traitor, always a traitor," Leon snarled. She smiled, and looked like the devil.

"Once gullible, always gullible," she said calmly. The man in the corner of the room let out a harsh laugh.

"How do I know that gun in loaded? It wasn't last time." Leon eyes the gun. Ada's eyes turned  
cold.

"I'm not that naive. And not that stupid."

"So you're working for him now? Why?" Leon jerked his head over to the monster's that he assumed was named Wesker.

"Better to be on the right hand of the devil, then to be caught in his path," Ada smirked before stepping closer to him.

"I'm sure all those civilians in Raccoon, and those who died in Rock Fort prison were willing to die for your noble philosophy." The bitterness in his voice appalled even him.

"Your friends were willing to leave quietly," Wesker said as he rose from the chair in the corner. "All we had to do was threaten their lives. And of course the lives of their loved ones. They went with no complaints. Much like you did."

"I'm glad I'm getting this assignment done," Ada said to Wesker, but her eyes glued to Leon. "It was awfully easy to complete my last one. That wife of his doesn't put up much of a fight."

The bile rose in his throat. It took all of the strength he had not to leap across the room and strangle her.

"Of course I did attack her from behind. I must say, it was one of the most pleasurable assignments I've ever had the privilege of concluding."

That was it, Leon leapt at her, but before he could even touch her, a hand seized the back of his hair. Pulling his head back so he was facing the roof.

"Do you want to live to see your wife again?" Wesker hissed in his ear. "Or do you wish to taste death? That can be arranged."

Lifting Leon as if he weighed no less then five pounds, Wesker flung him over into the bookcase. Books crashed over his head. Harsh hands hauled him out before the book case crashed over. He found himself confronting Wesker.

"We could use you." A cold grin lingered on his lips. The door opened and in walked the fourth member of their party. The boy from downstairs.

"Burnside, do you have the virus?" Ada asked. Burnside? That was a familiar name. The boy nodded.

"And did you take care of the other one downstairs?" Wesker barked, his grip tightening on Leon's throat.

"The Spanish one? Yeah, he's out cold. I hauled him off to the seller." The boy they called Burnside put his gun down on the end table and stepped casually toward Ada. He reached in his pocket and fished for a needle. A vile was pulled out of his other pocket. He handed it over to Ada.

"Sorry to do this to you Leon," Ada spoke as she filled the syringe with the sickly yellow liquid that was contained inside the vile. "But you're just to perfect to turn down the role of the psycho killer."

Leon struggled against Weskers death grip, but no avail. Ada inched her way toward Leon. He felt the pain in his collarbone. His body felt hot. It was burning, but he couldn't get out. Throbbing in his head caused him to fall to his knees. His hands were numb.

Everything was spinning. Vision blurry. . .hot. . .going to explode. . .vomit. . .black.

The three stared down out the young man, now still as death on the ground. The virus coursing throughout his vessels. Ada eyes flashed with wicked delight.

"Leon Kennedy, time to unleash your rage."

**To be continued. . .**

**A/N: Okay! Okay! I promise the next one will be up soon. I just had a few delays. Hope ya liked it. And I think I will keep the chapters long. After popular request. Except for one reviewer. . .hehe.**

Frisky-mantal: Well thank you! Yeah, I thought about cutting it down. But I've always loved  
long stories. You think it was hard to read, think about writing it! LOL. But thank you so very  
much for the nice review!

Jayne: You're too sweet! It's always nice to know people want more. Thank you ever so much!

DeathSovern: What a wonderful thing to say. I'm just glad people are reading the story! You left  
me blushing when I was done reading you review. Yeah, hehe, I'm never sure how to spell  
Barry's name. I'm glad you told me. I'd probably do it more. I'm glad I could make you laugh at  
some parts in the story. Hey? Who says a drama can't have it's comic moments? Thank you  
for the superb review.

Dale: what can I say? I'm always glad to hear from you. Your with me to the end? That's gonna  
rock! You're too cool. And I'll tell ya what happened to Jill. It's all gonna make sense. . .I  
hope. Thanks a million for your rockin' reviews!

He who didn't leave a name: Thanks for telling me I had a nice fic! I really appreciate it.

Upchuck: Dude, you rock! I can't believe you said this was one of the best fics you've ever read!  
That meant the world to me. You have a way with words. What can I say?. . .I forgot,hehe.  
Anyway thanks for the cool review!

Frenchy: thank you a bunch! Still more to come. Thanks for the review!

Tre0220: thanks for the email, and the review! Don't worry about writing novels. I love stuff to  
read. And yes, your poetry is 100 awesome! You flatter me. I was thinking about the rage  
virus, and I thought that maybe you might want to see the effects of it in future chapters if you  
want to use it for your story, just in case you change your mind. I really wouldn't care if you  
used it. I'm kinda flattered. But thank you so much for you great reviews, they can always make  
me smile.( Uhh! I sound like a McDonald's commercial!)

Santiago: I've read your story, and I was very impressed. You are a fantastic writer! Everyone  
read his story! I hadn't heard those rumors. Sounds like you were on the ball with Leon being  
effected though, it sounds like that's what is going to happen in the fourth game. Thank you so  
much, you're a fantastic writer, and a kind person. Thank you so much!

Tifa Redfield: Hey, thanks for the news flash, I was on an adrenalin rush to the max when you  
told me Leon was the main character of the new game. I look forward to your reviews every time  
you send me one. I think it's because your such great writer. It's like Stephen Kind saying he  
likes my story! I have exams as well, those suck don't they? I'm patient, I can wait for your  
wonderful story. But there is not much to say because you've heard it a million times. Thank you  
a thousand times over for the best reviews.

Saunce: You beat CV? Congrads! It's one of the best games. Yes, it was sad when he died. My  
friend was watching me when that happened so I felt kind of odd. But you rock when it comes to  
writing reviews. I can't tell you how much those mean to me. Yeah, I love Wesker, he's so cool.  
I hope he's in the new one. That would just be awesome. Thank you!

Lin: Yes, thank you. You are such a cool reviewer. I can't wait to hear from you. Thanks for the  
review.

Did you know that. . .

Hunk or Carlos might me in RE4? And that Leon is the main character? That is so cool!

Also. . . Chris street clothes in RE remake are from the "Mexican" the clothes that Brad Pitt  
wore.


	9. Rats in the walls

_**Sometimes they Come Back  
By: diddly day**_

_**Chapter 9**_

_**Disclaimer: Not mine. This is the last time I'm gonna say it.**_

_**A/N: Man! Sorry I've been gone for so long. My computer broke down! So I had to fix it and it was a pain It's fixed now.. But, I'm off on Christmas break and I already have chapter 10 halfway done so that will be up shortly after this chapter. Thanks for being so patient.**_

BANG!

Claire's eyes snapped open from the noise that she could only describe as breaking glass. Her hand automatically reached out to grab Leon. . .Only to find him gone. Shaking the fuzz from her head. Her neck snapped around the room, looking for anything that resembled Leon. When her eyes fell upon Chris.

He lay in the chair next to the fire place. Ice ran through her vain's as he lay perfectly still. A terror of a thought passed through her brain. Was he dead? She glanced around the room to find Carlos gone as well. Breaking her shock that was binding her to the couch, she sprang to her feet and wrapped her small, but strong arms around her brother.

"Chris! Chris!"

His head rolled from side to side. An electric force coursed through her body, and before she knew what she was doing, her hand was swinging down, slapping him hard across the face.

"What?"

Chris shoved her hard on her chest, causing her to fly back onto the couch. His brow furrowed as he looked at his sister, trying to wake up.

"Claire? I'm sorry! Are you okay?"

She said nothing, just stared at him with wide, terrified eyes. Chris shifted in his seat. "Why did you slap me?" he asked, putting a hand on his cheek.

"You fell asleep!" she roared. Chris eyes widened about as big as Claire's when he realized the words that flew so venomously from her mouth. He then looked over to find Leon and Carlos gone.

"Oh shit," he whispered. Claire shook her head once again leapt off the couch.

"I was woken by something crashing upstairs."

Claire took off up the steps. The panic was beginning to take over her mind. She could hear Chris jump from his chair, and his loud footstep seconds behind hers. Running as fast as her legs would carry her down the hall, she ran to the first door she saw. Pulling it open with such force, she was surprised she didn't the door off itself.

Nothing.

The room was empty. Chris's figure was brushing past her, opening all the door in that hall. Claire, herself, ran to the next door. Pulling it open the same way only to find the same thing as in the last room. It was like that for each of the doors in the hallway.

"Leon!" she hollered. "Leon!"

"Claire!" Chris yelled back at her.

She spun around in his direction. He was standing by Ada's door. All the blood drained from his face as he stood in the doorway, his hand gripping the handle. "Come look at this."

Claire sprinted to his side, her hands clutched the doorframe, stopping herself from bashing into Chris. It took her a moment to realize was she was looking at. But when her eyes adjusted to her surroundings, he stomach dropped and he knees grew weak. The room looked demolished. The book case was smashed into a million pieces. Glass from the door holding the books in it were now little bits of dust. But that wasn't what disturbed her most. In the middle of the room, was a pool of dark crimson.

_"No."_

All the breath escaped her. She pushed herself away from the door and started to walk briskly down the hall.

"Claire wait," Chris started after her.

The burning in her eyes was more then she could bear. She put a hand over her eyes, and clenched her teeth, trying to fight back the swelling in her throat. The lump that was growing there made it too hard to reply to Chris.

"Wait! Claire, Stop!" Chris was now right behind her. Without warning, a horrible sob escaped her mouth.

_"No!"_

She pounded her fist over a nearby vase. It flew off the table and crashed against the wall by her blow.

_"NO!"_ her blood curdling shrill stopped Chris dead in his tracks.

He quickly regained himself and reached out to grab Claire's arm. She jerked around and shoved him so hard away from her that he crashed into the wall.

_"You!"_ she screeched. "You were supposed to protect him!" Guilt and hurt sank into Chris's  
face. "It's your fault!"

Tears were now flowing down her face. She did nothing to hold them back.

"Claire," he seemed to be on the brink of a breakdown himself. Tears clouding his own eyes. "Please." Reaching out once more, he tried to grab hold of her.

"You-you were supposed to be awake!" She could feel his hands grab her arms. She struggled against him, but to no avail. He held her tight in his arms. "You weren't there! I trusted you!"

She was now screaming in his face.

"Claire. Claire stop," Chris gripped her struggling form. She brought her fists up and tried in vain to hit him away. Pounding on his chest, but it did nothing. He just grabbed her tighter. His voice grew weak and his tears started to glide down his face. "Please stop. I'm sorry," he hushed.

"He'd be here! He- he'd be with me."

She shut her eyes, causing more tears to stream freely. His arms grabbed her around her waist. Just in time, because at that moment, she lost control of her knees and fell to the floor. Her blows to his chest became weaker and weaker until they rested softy on his shirt as her ranting's dissolved into heartbreaking sobs.

"Shhh. Shhh. It'll be okay. Claire- I- I'm so sorry." She responded by gripping his collar, while berrying his face in his chest. Her cries muffled, he pulled her tighter into his arms, rocking her back and forth. His vision blinded by his own, moist eyes.

Minutes went by, but it felt like years. Once Claire's wails subsided, she gently pushed Chris away from her. He rocked back and looked at her with such sorrow that it made Claire want to cry again. But instead she pulled herself up and berried her face into her hands.

"Claire, I'm-"

"I know." He stopped. She dropped her hands to her sides. Staring at him with aguish shining her eyes. "You're sorry."

"Yes."

He looked down, unable to face her.

"So am I."

She knelt down in front of him and held his face in her hands. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault. Not one bit."

"Yes it is!" he tried to argue, but she shushed him.

"I knew how worn-out you were. I'm just as much to blame. But we have to find him. We're the only ones left."

"What are we going to do?" Claire stared to shake her head, when she stopped.

"We need to go through the whole house. Search ever part, but never split up."

"Okay. But we can't panic."

But Claire knew all he wanted to do was roll up in a ball, and never wake up.

"Do you remember anything strange when you woke up? Besides the book case crashing?" Chris asked Claire as they roamed around the hall.

"No." Claire poked her head into on of the vacant rooms.

"Nothing?"

"No," Claire snapped.

Chris could see she was still worked up about the breakdown she had earlier. He watched her as she stood still, shutting her eyes as in mediation. Her figure was still for ages, but finally she snapped open her eyes

"Wait. I remember something." She stared straight ahead of her. Glaring at the wall, all the while Chris eyeballing her intently.

"What?"

She shut her eyes again, but shook her head, struggling to find the right words.

"I remember someone whispering." She shut her eye's tighter, trying to remember.

"What were they saying?" She didn't respond. "Claire? Do you remember what they were saying?"

She rubbed her temples, whatever was going through her head, was sure damn hard to gather. Walking closer to the wall, her forehead rested on it. He was alarmed when she brought it back and lightly banged her head against it. Chris found himself walking closer toward her. He halted when she eyes popped open.

"He's here," she cracked out. Her voice fading.

"Who? Leon?"

"Steve. I felt his presence. I know he was here when Leon disappeared." She took a deep breath. "And when Carlos disappeared as well."

Chris ran a hand through his hair.

"This doesn't make any sense! Why? How the hell is everything happening?" Claire shrugged.

"You'd know better then me! Tell me, what was the last thing you remember?"

She was giving him that look. The look that no man wanted to see. The _tell me or die_ look.

"I don't remember! I was dead on my feet, worried sick, and trying to look after you three. I  
have no ide-"

A sudden flashed went through his brain. Something that he had locked but, forgotten about. A memory. A memory of footsteps on the stairs, and a pain in his neck. He reached up to grab the area of where he felt the pain. Clare must've seen the look on his face.

"What? You remember something, don't you?"

"I think I was drugged."

He poked the sensitive spot in his neck, only to find a surge of pain. He must of not felt it when he woke up with all of the chaos.

"You're kidding me!" She flew over by his side in an instant. Her hands gripping his head and pulling his neck back so she could see where he was rubbing. "You have a wound at the base of your neck," she stated.

"Is it bad?" A wave of fear cloaked him.

"No, it looks like you were bitten by a Vampire missing a fang." Her light fingers brushed it and he jerked away. "Probably a syringe."

"That's comforting," Chris rolled his eyes. Rubbing his wounded neck once more.

"I can't think of anywhere else to look. We've checked the attic, the basement and Ada's room. Can you think of anything?"

"No. It's as if they vanished off the face of the earth. You'd think we'd find some secret passageways by now."

Less then a second after the words escaped her lips, her eyes bulged half way out of her head.

"The room!" she shouted running past him. Pulling off a complete 180, she flipped around and darted down the hall way.

"Room? What room?" Chris shouted running after her.

Following her to the end of the hall, she pushed open an old door. He entered the room a few seconds behind her. He was surprised that they hadn't checked the room before. It was quite beautiful. An old fashion bed in the center of a room, and a picture of a blond man on the far wall. The man looked familiar, his eyes seemed to follow him wherever he went. A pair of sunglasses and he would've looked just like. . .

But Claire didn't seem to be concentrating on that. Instead she was examining an old walk in closet by the bed, and to his surprise she was pounding on the wall.

"What are you doing?" Chris asked, perplexed.

"There is something back there."

He could hear it. By the sound of her thumping, it sounded as if there was a room back there. He then began to roam around the room, tossing over pillows and turning over dressers, pulling on candle-sticks, trying to find anything suspicious. He then came to the painting of the clone like Wesker. Without hesitation, he pulled the painting clean off the wall. A little round button was now exposed, after hidden so long by the haunting picture.

"Claire, I found a button."

"You did? Push it," she ordered.

He didn't like the sound of that. He knew what came of pressing strange buttons. It would either trap them, or unleash a monster of some sort. Or. . .his hand pressed down on the red, shiny, button.

_CLANK!_

The sound was the wall that Claire had been beating forcefully moved away, revealing not a room, but a lift. Chris and Claire moved swiftly to it.

"It's an elevator," Chris breathed.

Boy, he'd thought he'd seen everything in this mansion. But was he ever wrong. With a shaky hand Chris grabbed Claire's arm and guided her to the elevator. Without a word, both of them opened the hatched door. It creaked back from lack of use, slamming against the wall. They entered and silently pulled the latch shut.

"It looks like a long way down," Claire stated, peering over the side.

"Long way down," Chris repeated.

His hand reached out and pressed on the glowing red button that was marked asUP/DOWN. The lift shook as it started to descend down the shaft. Claire's arm shot out to grab any form of support has the jittering surprised her.

They seemed to drop for ages. Both of them just standing in desperate silence. The elevator hummed and the force of it stopping almost knocked Chris off his feet.

_We must be at the bottom floor_.

Tempted, but scared to get out of the lift, and see what was behind it, Chris just stared at his sister. She stared back with the same apprehension that must have masked his eyes. Trying, but unable to make his legs move to get up and open the latch, Claire walked over slowly and pulled it way.

Glaring at what he could only describe as hospital hall, Chris pulled up on Claire's shirt. She grabbed his arm and helped him up. They then continued to stare blankly at the room they were now facing.

It was clean, with white walls, ceiling, and floor. Florissant lights buzzed, while their light reflected off the tiled floor. Rows of rooms seem tostretch down the corridor as far as the eye could see. He took a deep breath to clear his head. The strong odor of chemicals filled his head, almost sending him into a coughing fit.

"I think we are in a lab," Claire said as she walked down the hall. Her heels clicked and echoed off the floor as she strolled up to the nearest room. It read FUSION ROOM.

"Not another lab," Chris grunted. He had been in enough labs to last him a lifetime. It seemed wherever a co-conspirator organization was, a lab was to be found.

"In a lab." Claire gazed up at the ceiling. "Right under the mansion. Mmm, this seems awfully familiar, doesn't it?"

"Right down to the elevator leading to the underground facility." Chris paced down the isle, look at each of the doors one by one as he passed. "Where do we start?"

"I'd like to see what's behind door number one, Johnny."

Claire stepped up to the fusion room. Taking the doorhandle, while swinging it open casually. The room was filled with test-tubes, graduated cylinders, microscopes, Bunsen burners, even a freezer to keep fresh samples of experiments.

"Looks like Nexxus is a little better at keeping their facilities virus-free," Chris snorted.

"Yeah. No wonder Umbrella hates them," Claire agreed. "That's the one thing different about this lab. It isn't infested with flesh-eating zombies."

"Or anything else flesh-eating for that matter." Chris turned to leave the room. Claire moved with him to the door.

"What do you bet that the others are here?" Chris asked once outside.

"I'd lay it down ten to one in Vegas," Clairemutteredgrimly.

She began to walk to the next door. She reached out to the knob, only to find it would budge. Chris tugged on the next door, which wouldn't open either.

"I think most of these are all locked," Chris said as he turned around to get a better look at the hall.

"I think that's quite obvious." Claire tried to open the fourth door down. Still, nothing.

"How are we supposed to investigate if we can't get anywhere?"

"You should know by now Chris," Claire said as she pulled out her trusty lock-pick and opened the door easily, "that I'm a witch. I can get into anything."

"You carry that wherever you go?" Chris almost laughed. Claire stood holding her lock-pick with a sour smirk on her face.

"Lets check it out." Claire stepped into the room first.

The air changed from cool, to ice cold. They stood on a cement platform, looking at a hall with more rooms.. ..No. Cells.

Some sort of cell block. It was terribly cold, and the room had the faint aroma of mold. Chris and Claire carefully walked down the steps, approaching the first cell. Sucking up his courage, Chris looked in thought the bared window. The sight of a bloody figure came into view.

"Jill!" Chris almost shouted. Claire ran up to his side and gazed at her with utter appall. Wasting no time, Claire began to check each and every one of the cells. But Chris couldn't rip his eyes away from the gentle figure of Jill's body.

"They're all here!" Claire gasped. "Sherry, Rebecca, Barry, even Carlos!" Claire reported. "All passed out!"

"Leon?" he asked. Her face turned grim, and she somberly shook her head.

"Ada's not here either," Claire's lips pressed together at the mention of Ada's name.

"Will you open the doors with your pick?" Chris asked, Claire shook her head again.

"I can't. The doors are all electronically locked."

"One of use should look for a way to open and the other should look for Leon," Chris suggested.

"No! We are not splitting up. I've had way to many bad experiences with that."

He knew she was right. Chris almost kicked himself for suggesting such a stupid idea.

"Come on, we have to find a way to open up these doors." They both turned to leave. As soon as they left. Claire took off walking swiftly down the hall.

"Wait. Claire. Don't walk so fast!"

But she kept walking faster. Her pace soon turned into a jog, then into a full sprint. Chris took off after her.

"Claire! Stop!"

"We have to hurry!" she shouted at him behind her. He looked onto where she was heading. The door at the end of the hall.

She reached it successfully. But that success was soon tainted. She was only a few seconds ahead of him. However, that was enough for the automatic door to slip shut once, separating them once she reached the other side of the door. There was a loud _whooosh,_ and the sight of Claire was gone from behind the door.

The way the door slammed against the frame reminded him of the door off of the movie _Panic Room._ He touched it just as it closed, leaving him alone in a strange underground lab. Claire's pounding was heard on the other side of the door.

"Claire! Claire! The door, it won't open!" he shouted frantically. But he doubted that she could hear him. The damn thing was soundproof. Somehow he knew that she was screaming his name on the other side.

Giving up, he knew what he had to do. He had to find away to open all of the security locks. Throwing the door one last glance, Chris turned around and sprinted to find anything that might help him. Praying that his sister would be okay by herself.

**_I I I_**

"Chris! _Chris!"_ She pounded her fists against the door.

Her hands were beginning to grow numb and red. Nothing.. The door wouldn't open.

_Stay here. He'll find a way out,_ She thought to herself.

But she had to look for Leon. She had to find a way to help her friends. Spinning around. She found that she was in a room. To the left of her was a door, and to the right was another door. Debating on which door to open first, she decided to take the one on the left.

It was a small thin door that read MORGUE. Maybe there was something in there that she could find. Throwing a glace at the room on the right, which read BOILER ROOM, She turned to open the Morgue door.

A guest of cool air hit her like a spray of water. The scent of disinfectant lingered in the air. Tools and body bags lay neatly in a small corner. But what caught her most was the figure on the autopsy table. A man, though fully dressed and it was plainly clear to see that no incisions had been made, he lay still as if dead. It took her a second to realize who the man was.

_Leon_.

Claire backed against the door, unable to breathe. He was dead. He was dead and there was nothing she could do. But a thought penetrated in her mind. Maybe she should check? Check before she left herself sink into dispar? That sounded logical enough for her.

Trembling uncontrollably, she approached him. Blood trickling down his head and his face as pale as winter, she placed a hand on his neck. Expecting him to be ice cold, she jumped when his skin felt fiery hot.

Air then filled her lungs. She hadn't realized that she had been holding her breath. She pressed on his neck. He had a pulse. Not only that, but it was beating strong. Fast. Why was he in the Morgue if he wasn't dead?

"Leon! Leon wake up!" she shook him, but he did not stir. "Leon, please! It's me. You have to wake up!" she whispered desperately. Nothing.

She placed her hand on his cheek. It burned under her skin. What had been done to him? Just gazing at his beautiful face. He looked dreadfully sick, but still amazingly beautiful.

She had a sudden feeling of what Leon must've felt when he came to see her in the hospital. Only this time he didn't wake up like she had. She had to get him out. She had to protect him. But how? There had to be something. Maybe she should go back and see if Chris had gotten the door unlocked.

Stroking his face, she bent down and placed a tender, soft kiss on his sizzling lips.

"I'll be right back," she whispered in his ear.

Clairefelt alone as soon as she left his side. She felt so guilty, so guilty that she had let this happen. She should've been awake. But instead she had blamed Chris for her wrong doing, which made her feel even worse. How could she have let this happen? She only hoped that Leon would forgive her if. . .when they got out of here.

She was just about to reach the door when she thought she could hear something moving behind  
her. No time for wishful thinking, he wasn't going to wake up.

She placed her hand on the handle when she heard a grunting noise and something moving. . . spun around just intime to see Leon charging at her.

Withing seconds she could feel the terror rise in her, and a chill descended down her spine as his boiling hands seized her throat.

He was going to kill her.

His face was enraged. Fury burned in those wonderful eyes that she had grown to could feel her throat closing, and she thought it would burst. Trying to push him way, but he was too strong.

Suddenly, a horrible thought crossed her mind that he had never loved her. That he hated her, but when she looked in those eyes, those wild, raging eyes, she could see that it was not her husband. And she could hurt someone who wasn't her husband. She was so scared, she didn't know how to react at first. All she could do was stare at him in horror. Her hands wondered to her side. There had to be something. She felt something smooth and heavy. A bottle.

With her last ounce of strength, she wrapped the bottle around her fingers. She had to hit him on the head. It had to be on the head, not on the shoulder or it would mean the end of her life. It took her a moment to realize he was screaming something in her face.

"I'll fix you! You bitch!"

_I'm going to pass out. I'm going to die._

Air she needed air. She raised the bottle as high as she could. Hoping that her aim would be right. Not on the shoulder, oh please not on the her eyes, she brought the bottle down. Claire could feel fragments of glass on her face as she heard it smashing against some part of his body.

The liquid splashed on her hand. His hands loosened around her neck. She cracked her eyes open and stared at him. She _had_ hit him squar on the head. His eyes were dazed and blank as his giant form went crashing down next to her.

Blood. She could tasteit in her throat. Her hands still gripping the end of the bottle, she slid down to her knees. Her fear broke and tearstrickleddown her face. Her body began to convulse with sobs and a coughing attack. Blood sprayed out of her mouth.

_That was so scary._

Claire drew in a shaky breath. It hurt to breathe. It hurt cough. Her sobbing didn't make it any easier to breathe. Her hand found her throat. It was sore when she touched it. There would be bruises that was a fact. A little bit more blood poured out of her mouth.

Claire then turned to look at him. He was completely out of it. More so then when she came in the room. Had he been faking it? No, he would've killed her the moment she came in if he had been conscious.

_Wouldn't he?_

The blood that had been on his forehead was now bubbling. She looked at the sticker that was now hanging off the broken bottle, wet and soggy. She had hit him over the head with hydrogen peroxide.

Gathering herself together, she got to her feet. He would wake up again. And when he did, he would kill her. She needed handcuffs, rope, something to keep him safe from her and himself. Then the idea hit her.

The boiler room.

Wrapping her arms around his chest she tugged him across the room to the boiler room. He would be safe in there. Just until she found a way out. His limp head rolled side to side as she moved to his feet and dragged him toward the room. It was difficult. He was very heavy. But Claire somehow found herself inching him along the floor. It took her a while, but finally she found her way across the hall and into the boiler room.

The room wasn't hot, just a little warm. Besides he wouldn't be there long. It was better then having him in that freezing morgue. Dropping his feet she cast a last look at him, and left. Locking the door shut from the outside. She brushed the tears away from her face and moved to see if Chris had opened the door. To her surprise it was open. But where was Chris?

"Don't move," a voice said behind her. She froze. "Turn around."

She obeyed. Sweat ran down her face as she held the gaze of the one person she never thought she'd see again. She felt her heart stop.

"Don't make me shoot you," said Steve Burnside, pointing a rifle in her face.

_**To be continued. . .**_

_**A/N: I pray you excuse me for delaying this chapter for so long. Stupid computer. I can't believe it broke down! But Chapter 10 will be up very soon. And I'm very excited to finish it. 10 is a chapter that I have been wanting to write for a long time. I hope you guys like this chapter, not my best work. But what can ya do?**_

Thank you's: In order from review page from top to bottom.

Molotov: Hey, I'm glad you liked all of my stuff. You left great reviews, on this story and my  
other one. I am very thankful for reviewers like you. It made me laugh that I got you to make up  
words. Thank you.

Steph: Thanks for wanting more. That's great encouragement. I thank you!

bulloo81 : I know, I'm a Leon/Claire fan all the way as well. I just love it when I know that not  
everyone is for Steve/Claire. Everywhere I look it's seems like that is the trend now. LOL.  
Thanks for the review.

Bell-dandy sama: You're just too cool for me ya know that? LOL. I'm glad you liked it. I love  
most of your stuff.(Most of the stuff that isn't about. . you know.) Inside joke people! Haha.  
You are just too sweet for me. I think you gave me a toothache. Old joke I know. But really,  
you are very awesome. I'm happy to say I have reviewers as nice as you. Thanks a bunch!

Dante: Ummmm, I thought about killing off Steve, but I'm not sure I will. If I did, it wouldn't be  
to make Bell sweat, although, the thought makes me laugh. Haha. Thanks!

Hotaru: LOL, you left great reviews. I laughed at each of them. I take it you like NYPD blue?  
Good show. Poor Jimmy, he left, but it's still a great show. I'm glad you like this story, I didn't  
think anyone would. But I've gotten more praise for this more then anything else I've written.  
Thank you so much!

Tre0220: I looked at your web page. Very nice! Great job! Thank you so much for the  
awesome review. I hope that this fulfilled your desirous for Leon being infected, but don't worry,  
still more to come. I didn't think Leon loved Ada. He never said so, but I guess he could've.  
I'm not really sure. I can't think of any idea's for your story, it's great the way it is. Sorry I  
haven't reviewed. I will soon, I've just been very busy. I love your story by the way. Great job!  
Well, I better go. I'll send ya an email if I think of anything good. See ya Fool! Thanks again!

Dale: You really do mean a lot to this story. I love hearing from you and I apologize for not  
having this up faster. You should write something so I could review it. If you want to, that is.  
Yeah, alright, enough sappiness indeed. Chapter 10 will be up very quickly, considering the fact  
that I'm already half way done. Thank you so much!

Lin: Ooo! Thank's for calling my chapter brilliant. One of my favorite words. I do work very  
hard and it's nice that you take notice. Well, not that hard. But it's nice anyway. Thank's again.

Agent182: Wow! Thank you! I was surprised that people liked chapter 8 as much as they did!  
Are you a blink182 fan? I was wondering because of the 182 in your pen name. It means very  
much to me when people call me a great write. I love it! I can't get enough of it. You're so  
sweet. Thanks!

Lindsay: The Others. I was watching that movie when I wrote that part and she said that line. So  
I stuck it in for fun. I wondered if anyone would notice. I'm impressed that you did. That's  
really the only thing I've taken dialog wise from a movie. But none the less, you must really like  
that movie to realize that. You should solve crimes LOL. Thanks for the review.

Saunce: So, you want Leon to die? Well, you never know. I hoped this chapter made you smile.  
Leon, the abuser. Kinda goes with the second chapter about Leon being a wife beater huh?  
Thanks for the review.

Santiago: Yeah, you are very quick. I think that was one of the nicest review that anyone has  
ever given me. It's one thing to be called a great writer. But if you can capture a love story and  
not make it corny or stupid, I find that a great accomplishment. Just that fact that you said that  
made my day. And I'm very grateful for reviewers like you. It mean so much, I don't think you  
can believe. And yes, I am planning more stories about them, but I want to finish this one first.  
Thank you! Thank you!

Frenchy: Haha, I'm glad you liked that part. It was a fun scene to write. I bet you were  
expecting something really cool to happen to the rest of the gang, sorry if I disappointed. But I  
think I can spice it up a little bit more. Thank you tons for the great review!

Joanne Beverly: Oh wow! I was surprised that the legend reviewed my stories. You are a  
wonderful write. But I don't always get around to leaving reviews. I'm such a procrastinator.  
But thank you. It meant the world to me that you liked it. Thank you ever so much!

Tifa Redfield: What can I say? You are such an awesome person. I mean everything I said. You  
are always inspiring me to write better, and I always look forward to your reviews. You just have  
a cool way about you. I'm grateful to say that I get reviews from a writer like you. Really, you  
kinda are like Stephen King. You have a wonderful writing style and you don't change it for  
anyone. I admire that. But you also know what people want, and you know how to give them  
what they want. Not many authors can do that. It's a skill. A very hard skill to acquire. Hell  
I'm still trying to get it right. Just keep writing as well as you do and no one will ever call you a  
bad writer unless they are an idiot. Thanks again!

Did you know that. . .

If you press on the broken mirror in the locker room, Chris will groom himself in battle mode of  
CV? And he'll do something else if you press on the tiger statue. I can't figure out what he's  
doing. Maybe you can tell me

diddly day


	10. The stranger

_**Sometimes they Come Back**_

_**By: diddly day**_

_**Disclaimer: Not mine.**_

_**A/N: Okay, There were so many jumbled up words in this chapter it was rediculous! I had to comb through it just to get out all the bullshit.**_

_**I know my last chapter was a little. . .well, it. . .it sucked. But that was kind of a setup chapter. So I hope this will satisfy everyone's hopes. Although I hate to say it, this story is winding down. Yes, winding down. By far the longest thing I have ever written. **_

_**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, those mean the world to me.**_

_**And so we continue. . .**_

_**Chapter Ten:**_

"Didn't you hear what I said? Move!"

Claire couldn't believe her ears. It was as if a ghost was shouting those words at her. And it hurt.

"Steve . .I. . ."

It was hard to speak. Her throat still hurt from where Leon's hands had gripped. She was interrupted by him sticking the barrel of his rifle shoving closer to her face.

"I'm not kidding. Do it," he ordered. A sudden rush of anger flooded through her.

How dare he _How dare he_ after everything they'd been through.

"So it was you who brought us here. What have you done to Leon? And what about Ada? You killed her didn't you!" she croaked.

Claire couldn't help it all spilling out. It was if she had been bursting to say it ever since she saw Leon laying on that cold autopsy table.

"Don't be ridiculous!" he shouted back. His voice still held that smug, conceit tone . "I'm just the messenger. Besides, if I were to kill Ada, you'd be the last person to care." Although she hated to admit it, it was true. But this wasn't about Ada now.

"Just one question. Why?" His face flushed with undoubted rage.

"You left me there to die!" His hair flopped over his face as he shouted with rage. Claire, herself, couldn't keep her own fury at bay.

"What am I supposed to do? You want me to feel sorry for you?" she stated calmly, but with little pity. His face slacked, but his emerald eyes pierced hers.

"No," he sounded irritated. "You were supposed to sacrifice yourself for me."

"That can't be why you're working for them."

"Wesker helped me! He saved me when you left me to die. I hate Umbrella," his voice lowered, almost to a whisper, "and I hate you." That stung. She knew it shouldn't, but it did. "I hate you for what I've become, what you've made me become."

"Well, I'd hate to disappoint you, but I didn't make you become anything. Whatever monster you've become, you did it to yourself." His face scrunched with wrath. "With a little help from Wesker," she added.

"Enough," he closed his eyes and jittered his head. "You need to get going."

She didn't budge.

_"NOW!" _Claire jumped slightly at his tone of voice. Without another word, she obeyed, turning around to the, now, open door. She could feel the tip of his gun shove at the base of her back.

He directed her down the hall, all the while her eyes scanning for Chris. Where had he gone to? The terrorizing thought punctured her mind as she thought that Chris had been taken by Steve as well. No, she couldn't think like that. She had to believe he had gotten away. And unless she saw him dead, she wouldn't give up hope. She knew that he'd come through, and if it meant her life, then that was the small price that she was willing to pay.

His gun nudged herto one of the doors she and Chris had tried to open. She wasn't sure what to do at first. After all, the door was locked, it was to complicated for her lock-pick, she needed a real key. She stood for a moment and waited for Steve to give her his next order. The sound of clanking metal was heard behind her.

"Stand aside for a moment," he said. But he pressed the gun into her temple to hint that if she tried anything stupid, like trying to get away, he would kill her.

Scooting over, she let him by. One of his hands held a key chain. His fingers fiddled over them, looking for a certain key to help open the door.. Meanwhile, holding the light rifle with his other hand.

"Here it is," he muttered to himself. Sticking a long, thin, gold key with a picture of a serpent on it, he opened the door.

There were wooden stairs, all leading the way to a row of rooms. Guiding her to the furthest one back, he ordered her to open the door this time. Her hand trembling, she did as he demanded. The door creaking with lack of use. Her heart pounded so fast she could hear it in her ears and the blood rush was making the vain in her neck throb, which caused to surge of pain shooting to her throat. The room was dark, too dark to see anything. She could hear the door close behind her.

"Turn around."

She did. He was going to kill her. Kill her and then kill the rest. It would be her fault, all her fault.

"Now get down on your knees." Claire couldn't argue as her kneecaps hit the hard floor.

Her eyes were just beginning to adjust to the dark when the light flickered on. She was in an office of some sort. Much like Chief Irons, only smaller. Steve stood before her, his gun pointing that the ceiling.

"Glad you could join us,"a deep, but womanly voice said behind the desk. Claire's head jerked around so fast, she was afraid she might hurt herself.

"Ada."

For some reason, Claire wasn't surprised. She had heard about when this so called friend had betrayed Leon. Ada smiled at Claire the most cold and deadly thing she had ever seen.

"You don't sound to pleased to see me." Ada rose from the desk.

"You're the average stereo typ for a traitor," Claire shot back. "Beautiful and lethal."

Ada let out a soft laugh.

"It's nice to see you have a sense of humor. Considering that fact that your husband has the rage virus coursing through his vains."

Rage virus? Wait, no. That couldn't possiblybe true. Not true atall not one bit. But then, why would he attack her like that? Why was he so hateful towards in in the morgue? Why had he tried to strangle her. . . why had he tried to kill her?

This was making so much sense, but Claire could not believe it. She didn't want to belive it. The realization of what had been done to Leon was almost to much for Claire to bare.

"You put that in him? You bitch!" Ada closed her eyes and made a painful look with her face, but attached to the pain was mockery.

"I guess you could say that. But I didn't do it all by myself," she lifted her chin in Steve direction. "He helped."

"So this is all a lie? Wesker was never after us, this was just some sick way of getting what you wanted?"

It was everything Claire could do not to jump out and kill Ada.

"I never lied about Wesker. However, I didn't inform you that I was going to betray you. It's really that simple when you think about it," she purred, smiling.

Ada pulled a large handgun from the desk. Walking straight up to Claire, she pointed it in her face.

"You're weak," Ada stared coldly at Claire. Her eyes burning into hers. "I know what you're thinking. That you can take me. You think that you could beat me if you tried. Well, we've already been in that situation. And I won last time. You just fell to the floor, and took it."

Those words shocked Claire. She had a sudden flash. She had met Ada before. Even before they  
were properly introduced at Chris's house. She remembered something. Before she hit the mirror on the day that she was attacked. A beautiful Asian woman.

"It was you!" Claire breathed. "You're the one who attacked me!" she raised her voice louder. "Why didn't you kill me?"

"That wasn't the point of hurting you. It was knowing that I was superior. I wanted to see what the brave Officer Kennedy's wife had that I didn't. I don't see what he sees in you," she grunted with distian.

That almost made Claire laugh. For so long, she had wondered what Leon had seen in Ada when he told her about what he went through in Raccoon. What did Ada have that she didn't? But after tonight, Claire knew she could stop worring. . . that is, if she got out alive.

She watched Ada point the gun only centimeters from her face.

"You're just upset that I'm getting some from you dream man," she darted back bluntly. Ada's face drained of all color.

Claire had suppress a laugh. She had struck a cord with Ada. The paleness in her face was replaced with dark crimson. Reflexively, Ada brought back the handle of the gun across Claire's face. She could feel the sting on her lips as a warm liquid trickled into her mouth. She sucked on her lip, trying to stop the bleeding. Her eyes, somehow, found Ada's.

Didn't matter, the pain was worth it.

"Did I say something wrong?" Claire smiled.

Ada pointed the gun further in her face. It gleamed in the soft light. She closed her eyes, trying to think of some way out. The memory of Leon struck her. The time, for "fun" he wanted to show her how to get a gun from a perpetrator, or if she was ever held at gunpoint.

_"Okay, here's what ya do," he had said. _

_He stood in front of her, holding a plastic squirt-gun in her face. "I have it pointed at you, and all you have to do is grab the barrel, twist my arm to face me, pull the gun around. . . .and voila! You have the gun! Try it." _

_She had. . .and failed. . .several times. But he didn't let her give up, and eventually, she got it. Then rubbed it in his face._

Her mind snapped back to the present when Ada pushed the gun so it was almost touching her forehead. Before she had even realized what she was doing, Claire found her hand reaching out, tugging on the gun, and pulling it away from Ada's hands. To her surprise. . .it worked! Easily. And suddenly, Ada found herself at the wrong end of the gun.

"Don't move," Claire said as she got off her knees. Ada stared at her, dumbstruck. She also appeared mildly impressed against her will.

"How did yo-"

"Shut up!" Claire snarled.

She took a few steps to the door, in effort to get further away from Ada. Out of the corner of her eye, she thought she saw Steve flinch and swung the gun around topoint at him. He froze, and she gestured to him to put the rifle down. He got the hint, and slowly rested his 22. rifle on the wooden floor.

She was about to pick it up when Ada made a dive for it. On reflex, Claire trapped the gun under her foot, and skidded it to the other side of the room. Ada lay flat on her stomach, glaring at Claire with shock.

If she had been impressed with Claire before, she clearly wasn't now. Ada looked utterly pissed.

"Not so easy to hurt me when I'm not unconscious, is it?" Claire stepped further away from the two. "What did you do to Leon?"

Ada's head sagged and then she brought it back up.

"There is nothing you can do for him. He's working for us now. You can get away now, but it doesn't matter. He'll find you, and when he does, he will kill you."

No, that was bullshit. Why should she believe Ada now? After all the lies? The betrayel? What could she possibly do to break Claire down even more? There had to be some way, some way to help him.

"I don't believe you," Claire sighed, shaking her head.

"He's not your husband anymore." Ada was now crawling off her stomach.

"Stop it," she couldn't do this, she couldn't hear this.

"He's going to come after you. And murder your brother, all of your friends, and then himself," She was now on her knees facing Claire.

"Shut up," Claire warned, but Ada wasn't buying her bravery anymore. The tears now burning in her eyes. She walked backwards, putting her hands over her ears, while the trigger of the gun hung loosely on her finger.

"You are all going to die a slow horrible death, and you will be to blame, because you couldn't help you husband."

Ada stood facing her. That was it, in an instant, Claire grabbed the gun and pointed it at Ada.

"Shut up!" Tears were streaming down her face. "That can't be it. This can't be the end." Her voice died away.

"You will die," Ada stated slowly.

"Stop!"

"And I'll win," she finished, staring at her, with an evil grin, the most evil grin she had ever seen. It was the smile of Satan.

"Please," Claire begged, her voice so soft that she knew she would have to repeat. "Please, I have to help him. You have to have some good left in you Ada. Some human left. There has to be a small part of you that still wants to help people. Please?"

Ada just stared at her, coldly. Quietly.

"Please? Please?" Claire was beginning to sound desperate. She bowed her head as the tears dripped off her was the single most humilating moment of her life. Begging for her husbands life in front of two demons. But if she had to make a deal with the devil, she would do it.

"I can't lose him," she broke.

Claire could feel Steve's eyes on her as she stood there, weeping silently. She half expected Ada to take this opportunity to make a grab for the gun, but she didn't. She didn't need to. She had already won. She had broken Claire.

Then a she heard his voice.

"There is something."

Claire's head snapped up to look at Steve. He stood there, gazing at her. For a moment, Claire felt as if she were back on Rock Fort island again. Quickly, Claire tried her best to composed herself and continued to point the gun readily at Ada's face.

"What?" she whispered faintly.

"There is something you can do for Leon," Steve repeated. Claire couldn't believe her ears.

"I'll do anything," Claire was staring intently at him, preparing herself for his instructions.

"There is a cure, it's very rare, but it will save your husband."

"Shut up Steve!" Ada shouted at him. Steve looked closely at Ada, as if he were about to do as she commanded. But then he looked at her, and his eyes softened.

"I have the cure. It's in my coat pocket."

Holding the gun to closely to his face, Claire walked up to him and felt in his pockets. Her hand grasped around a small vile of bright blue liquid. She stared at it closely. Then she grabbed the syringe and chain of keys that Steve held.

"Why should I trust you?" she asked as she stepped away from the two.

"You've got no one else to trust Claire!" he barked. His face softened again. "It's hard to see you hurting. Even if. . . .even if it's because you love _him._"

"I thought you hated me," Claire growled bitterly. Steve only shook his head.

"Claire, if that were true, you wouldn't be alive right now."

And she knew it. She knew he was telling her the truth. If he had hated her, he would have killed her the moment he saw her. And that was all she needed to know.

Claire walked to the corner of the room and grabbed the rifle.

"I'm taking this so you don't do anything stupid," Claire said as she passed Ada, who was scowling. "How long does it take to work Steve?" He shrugged.

"I'm not sure. It cold take five minutes or five hours. But you need to get it in him now before it's too late. The medicine won't work if it's been in his system for more than eight hours."

Claire stood still, trying to grasp what he just told her. She nodded and moved to the door.

"Thank you Steve," she said as she grabbed the door handle.

"No time for that. Go!"

Claire bolted out the door. Running to the exit, Claire turned around and locked it with the gold key that she had seen Steve us when he held her hostage. With a turn of the key, she locked them in. She found that it was very hard to move with a gun, a ring of keys, a syringe, a cure, and a rifle in her hands. Deciding that she would give the rifle to Chris when she found him, she placed it carefully in a nearby closet. It wouldn't do her any good. She couldn't shoot a rifle to save her life. It was better off with Chris.

She took off running down the hall to the boiler room.

Her hand trembled as she unlocked the door. Heart racing, pulling the door back, she breathed again as she saw Leon sprawled on his stomach. She crept into the room, and sat the gun on the nearby machine to free her hands.

Pulling the vile out with the needle, she filled the syringe with the blue medicine. It looked full, no air. Claire tapped it and looked for the right vain to put it in. She found a good one in his arm as she stuck and injected him with the cure. All there was to do now was wait. It was only a matter of minutes before she heard Leon's drowsy voice.

"Claire? That you?"

She grinned widly. Cut on her lip from where Ada had struck her split again. Warm blood trickled down her face. But it didn't matter. He was awake! He was okay, and he was awake!

"Leon! Are you alright? Do you need my help walking?"

As soon as she said that his eyes snapped open so wide that she could see dark red that swelled the whites of his eyes, making his blue iris burn brighter then the sun. They moved quickly, searching for Claire's voice.

"Claire? Baby. . .I hurt my head," his words were slurred with stood over him, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"It's okay, you're going to be alright now."

She was so happy she didn't notice the feeling of his hand gripping her around her ankle.

"Lets get you out of here," she beamed down at him.

He gripped the skin of her ankle tighter. A sudded bolt of pain made her jerk her foot away, but he held fast to her. His large fingers turning white at the grip he had on her.

"Leon. . .what are you doing?" she question, bemused. She gazed down at him. He was staring at her intently. . .smiling. . .His blue eyes flaming as the red that surrouded the whites of his eyes turned darker.

"Gotcha," he grinned.

Confused andtrying to pull herself free from his grasp, she fell backwards.

"Leon stop. What's wrong?"

His grip on her ankle was crushing. With sloppiness, got on his knees, latching on to her ankle as if it were a life-savor.

"You thought you could get away. Didn't you?" he was now crawling up her body. "Think that I wouldn't figure it out? But now. . . .I. . . .gotcha!"

His hands were close to her neck. The terror then seized her. Its icey fingers trickling down her spine with horrid realization. He was still infected, still infected and now she had woken him up. But instead of trying to strangle her as he had last time, he got up, and stood over her. His smile had now vanished.

"You used me!" he swayed slightly, bending over her so she could see his outraged face. "I was just a filler in that deep hole in your heart. The one you saved for Steve!" he was talking nonsense. "That little bastard!"

"Leon, that's not true. You know that's not true. I've always loved you," she begged.

"Liar!" he screamed.

He brought his hand back and slapped her hard across her face. Claire's eye felt as it were about to explode. Not expecting the blow, she lost her balance and fell with a flat THUD. Water stung her eyes, making it hard to see him. He was hunched over, his back curved and his long arms drooping below his knees as though they were dead. His face was contorted, his eyes wide and bright while his mouth slacked, exposing his teeth making his face frozen in some horrible snarl. He didn't look like Leon.

"I know what you want! I've always known. Did you think I was stupid? That I wouldn't figure it out? We'll, I'll fix you!" His hands were now on her shoulders, pulling her up to face him.

"You turned everyone against me. That was the worst. All of my friends. Now they think I'm a killer."

His face scrunched with self-pity

"You can't hurt me Leon. I know you can't."

Claire tried to sooth him, brushing the back of her hand tenderly across his cheek, trying to help him remember how much she loved him. He ignored her gentle touch and pulled her roughly to him.

"But I can kill you," he whispered harshly through gritted teeth.

Automatically, she threw her body into him sending him flying backwards into a pile of iron polls used for repairing the boiler. Twirling around, she grabbed her gun that she had so foolishly left on one of the close machines. Sprinting to the door, she dashed out of the room and back to the hall toward the fusion room.

She had to find Chris.

Claire could hear him behind her. Terror gripped her harder than her husband's boiling hands. She had always thought that she was safe with him. That no matter what, he would be there to protect her. And now she was sprinting down a deserted hallway, with her demented husband hungerly chasing her.

His loud footsteps were seconds away from hers. She was about to reach the elevator when she felt a force so strong that it knocked her off he feet, and sent her skidding across the floor. Her arms stug as the floor ripped across her skin, burning her arms. Strong hands gripped her, turning her body around to that she was facing Leon.

His hands were on her neck in seconds. Grasping them tighter then he had in the morgue. She reached for her gun. . .damn! It had flown out of her hand when he had tackled her. Thinking carefully, she intertwined her legs with his, and despite is large stature, flipped him over her head. She heard him land and he let out a gasp of pain.

Scrambling to her feet she tried to pass him and reach the elevator, but he was quick. Amazingly quick. His hand shot out and snagged her pant-leg. She tripped, smacking her jaw against the floor. Her was up before her, grabbing something from behind him that he had dropped.

At first she thought it was her gun, but then she saw something silver glint in the light. Long and slim. It was a bar. A long iron bar, much like the ones that she had sent him flying into back in the boiler room. He must had grabbed one from the pile before chasing her.

"Oh, no you don't!" Leon grunted nastily as she pressed off the floor, her jaw aching.

In one last miserable attempt to make it to the lift, she felt a sharp pain in her side as his weapon came crashing down on her back. Her muscles jerked and spasmed in pain. He swung to hit her again, but this time she was the quick one. She rolled aside to resist his blow. She heard him curse as his body sprung back from the force of his failed blow. Trying with all of her strength to get away, she began to slide her body across the floor. Her leg then exploded in pain as Leon brought down the bar again on her body, wilding trying to recover from his missed strike.

Crawling toward the wall, she inched her way up,steading her back against it. Her legs weak and trembling. Her eyes spotted the fire extinguisher. She lunged for it,grabbing it with all of her might. Claire waited until he came closer. Swining it back as far as she could, she smashed it hard into his face with all the force she could muster. His head snapped back as his body flew into the opposite wall. The bar dropped to his side.

"Leon, you have to stop, I don't know what you're thinking, but you have to stop!" she cried.

She pressed her back firmer against the wall for support. Hoping her knees would keep her standing. Leon pulled himself away from the wall. Blood oozed down from his forehead and into his face from the blow he had received.

"You bitch!" he dragged his feet toward her. "Look what you did to me! LOOK AT ME!"

He swung his fist back to punch her, but she jumped aside, casing his hand to go smacking into the hard, thick wall. Leon howled in pain.

"Please, Leon, just listen to me!" more salty tears splashed down her face.

_He won't listen. You can't compromise with a lunatic._

Her throat was growling out her please. She could taste copper in her mouth. He lifted his smashed hand to his lips and closed his eyes. This expression on this face seemed like a wounded puppy. So much so that for a moment, the only emotion readable on this face was blinding pain. Claire didn't think as she stepped toward him. It was a natural responds to her hurt loved one. Blood fell over his hand. He turned away from her, as if afraid she would hurt him again.

"I'm so sorry," she hushed quickly.

Her hand reached toward him. Within a few seconds he whipped back around again. Holding the bar once more, and ramming it hard into her side. She shrilled in pain and she thought she felt something inside her snap. Falling to the floor, she crashed on all fours, trying to find the strength to get up.

"You're going to wish I killed you already," he sputtered, blood spraying from his mouthin fine bits.

He limped toward her. He had hurt his ankle when he fell. Bringing his boot back, Leon swung like he were kicking a soccer ball and it and crashed into her stomach. The pain in her side amplified as her rib re-broke with a sickening _crack. _Blood gushed up her throat, as she lay there. The hot, crimson liquid spilled from her lips. His boot hit her stomach again. This time, it was more centered. Claire's eyes snapped shut tightly in agony. More blood gushed out of her mouth.

All was lost. She had _failed_.

She rolled onto her side when she felt something press in her pocket. Reminding herself quickly that it was Chris's knife. She had always carried his knife. Digging into her pocket, she snatched the small switchblade. Her eye's shifted to see Leon's hand ready to strike her again. In one swift motion, she scraped it out, lashing it in front of her. Low and behold, her aim was true as his soft flesh dug across the sharp blade.

Leon shreaked and leapt away from her.

"Ah! You bitch! _YOU BITCH!"_

The bar was slippery in his bloody hands. Claire brought her back up against the wall. Staring at him with such sorrow, such pain that she wanted her life to end right there.

"That's not you talking Leon," she sobbed, trying to will the hurt to leave her body. "You're not well."

His hair hung in his face. Those dark, brilliant blue eyes, burned like coals. He gazed down at her. Full of anger and hate. The gleam in his eyes. No man. . .no _human _could ever stare at someone like that. He wasn't her husband anymore. He wasn't a man. And he wasn't human. He was. . .a _Thing. _A demon. A terrible monster lurking closer to her. The oily blood sliding down Its slippery face. Staining Its white teeth. The smile. . .pure evil.

"Maybe you're right." It stared straight over her at the wall. "Hell, of course you're right. But I'll be better soon."

It brought the bar down once more over her kneecap. A thousand knifes cut through her bone. Letting out a wail, she grabbed her leg.

"When you're gone." Its toothy grin made her shiver. The dark blood outlined Its eyes.

"No, please. . please!" she cried weakly, holding a crumpled hand to shield her face.

All of her strength was beginning to fade. The Thing that looked like her husband stepped closer. Rasing the bar over Leon Kennedy's head. Its bloody hands tightening around the bar for a better grip. She closed her eye's waiting for the final blow, when the sound of a door opening shattered her nerves.

"Claire?" he brother questioned. His tone dazed.

She looked up to see the shell of Leon's head whip around. A confused Chris stared at her and the maniac bending over her.

"Congratulations Chris!" It shrieked.

Claire took this opportunity to snag her gun. Her blood staining the white floor, she slid toward it on her belly. Her ribs snagging on her organs inside her as she crawled to the small pistol that had clattered to the ground an enternity before.

"Leon? What the hell happen to you?" Chris gawked at Leon's broken sight.

It stepped closer to Chris, swinging its weapon back and forth loosely.

"You're now the Ultimate Fighting Champion!" Chris was staring at Leon, a scared and muddled experssion plastered on his face.

Claire, now on her feet, struggled to get her gun. Swinging her head around, stared behind her.

"Chris! Watch out!" she screamed.

"And here's your prize!" It wheeled Its arm back, striking Chris across the face. A gross _thud _was heard as Claire had averted her eyes. When she looked back, Chris lay on the ground in a pool of dark liquid.

"No!"

Claire bawled. She couldn't bend over to grab her gun. Her rib hurt too much. The Thing that had once been Leon turned once more to her. Its insane figure creeping toward her.

"Oh sweety," It lectured mockingly, "shame on you. Look what you made me do to Chris."

Slowly, It paced toward her. Taking Its time.

"You know, I've been waiting to do that for a long time. Stupid son of a bitch. I've always wanted to put him in his place. Sometimes things just work out the way you want them to."

The blood from It's mouth and head soaked into the white work shirt he was wearing, turning it red. Blood smeared across Its neck and face. Eyes wild with madness. All the while, stepping closer.

"He used to really intimidate me. I hated it. I felt like I couldn't kiss you in front of him,"a smile rippled its way across that mad face. "Remember when he came over to stay the night? The guest room was right next to our bedroom. You wanted to make love, but I was afraid he would storm in on us and beat the shit out of me."

"I know you're in there somewhere Leon!" Claire gasped.

"That was how I used to be. I was chickenshit. A scared, worthless, little pussy. Terrified of my own brother-in-law! I was afriad. Afraid of him, afraid of my job. Hell, I was even afraid that you would _leave_ me! I was scared that one morning you'd wake up and realize that you really wanted that punk-ass little Steve! That just goes to show, huh? I Was afraid."

It turned Its head and stared at Chris as he lay on the floor. Those blue eyes found their way back to Claire. Wide and terrifying.

"But not anymore," It whispered stepping closer.

"You're not my husband," she growled. "He would never hurt me. He loves me."

_Closer._

"I needed him." Claire felt she was losing her mind as well.

_Closer._

"I loved him."

It stopped. Directly in front of her. Swinging the bar back once more, she jumped back with all of her might. A shot of pain coursed through her legs as the bar missed, whistling though the air as It stumbled forward. The bar jittering wildy back away from her, as if rebounding from its near miss.

Lifting her good leg, she brought it back as hard as she could. Her foot meeting the Ex-Leon's groin. Her once-husbands face turned a ghastly green as the shadow of him fell to his knees in front of her. Its hands opened like broken claws, dropping the bar. Hands clutching Its crotch.

Bending over somehow, she was able to grab her gun. Heavy and cold in her hands, she lifted it to his forehead. She had to kill him. She had to kill him before he killed anyone else. Her fingers twitched as she placed them on the trigger. Her greasy hands slipping slightly as she began to pull faintly back.

She wanted to vomit. Its head twisted upwards to meet her, she saw Its lips move.

"Claire," the grunting sound It made broke her heart.

Then she remembered her dream. Raccoon. The stranger holding a gun to Leon's head. Him calling her name. His head being blown off. Death, her crying over him. She was the one. The one to kill him. She then realized with utter horror that the shadow in her dream was her. She had killed him.

It was fate, it was her fate that she would have to end his life right there. Pulling her finger slightly back on the trigger.

_You don't believe in fate _a little voice told her. _What if your dream was only a warning?_

Couldn't she change her fate? It could be done, couldn't it? Make the decision. Follow the dream, or change it. Kill him, or spare him. Knowing what she had to do, she pointed the gun directly over his head. . . .

_Boom!_

Claire brought the handle of the gun over his head. Knocking him out cold. His unconscious body slumped to the ground.

Clicking the gun on safety, it slipped out of her bloody hands. Clanking onto the floor. Her knees suddenly gave way, and she crashed to the ground. Moving to toward him, she knelt over him crying. Running her hands lovingly through his soft hair, which was now stained with crisp, dry blood. At least he had hair to run her fingers through.

She felt his pulse again. It was strong. She hadn't killed him, just knocked him out.

Kissing his bloody face, she wrapped her arms around his neck. Trying to pull him closer, while rocking him back and forth. Guilt washed over her. It wasn't him who had tried to kill her, it wasn't him. She was just as much to blame. The fact that she had almost killed him made her want to faint and for a moment she felt light headed. She could see stares. Everything was starting to go black.

Oxygen. . . The room was spinning. She bent down and placed a soft kiss on hislips. Harder to breathe. . .One breath. . take another. . .don't forget to breathe!

"Claire?" someone groaned. Claire looked down at Leon. He was still passed out. His faced pressed into the curve of her neck.

"Claire?" It was a little bit louder. Her head snapped around from side to sideand she saw Chris's mouth move.

"Chris!" Claire hushed.

She placed Leon's head softly down on the ground. Dragging herself toward her brother, her hands felt greasy against the floor. She bent down over Chris, placing her hands on each side of his face. She then moved them down to his shoulders.

"Claire?" he mumbled once more.

"Chris! Wake up! Please! Wake up!" His eye's fluttered open and he stared at her.

"Claire!" He sat up slowly and rubbed his temples. "Why did Leon hit me?" Claire looked over her shoulder to make sure he was till out of it.

"Leon? No, that's not Leon. Leon's gone," she muttered. A few drops of blood spraying from her mouth. She licked her lips to keep the blood from drying there.

"Claire. . Oh my. . .Wha-what happened to you?"

She felt Chris's hands pulling her away from her gaze. His eyes were fixed on her.

"Did he ? I- I need to get you to a hospital!"

He pulled her into his arms. It felt good to be held. His arms were so warm. Always count on Chris, her big brother, to protect her.

"We need to get the rest of them out."

Both of them turned to see who was talking. Steve stood there the rifle back in his hands. Claire had forgotten that she had put it back behind the door.

"Who the hell is this guy?" Chris asked.

"Steve," she gasped. "You'll help us?" Steve nodded. Chris hauled Claire up to her feet.

"Okay," he said wearyingly. "Lets get to it."

Their battle was coming to an end. . .or perhaps, it only getting started.

_**To be continued. . .**_

_**A/N: I don't know about you. . But this was one of the funniest chapters for me to write. I don't know why. But I love this part and it's so big, I have to cut it into sections. Don't worry, I still love Leon. L/C fan! I hope this made up for the last chapter. Ummm, now I can't wait to get started on the rest!**_

Saunce: Did ya like? I hope this made you happy. Steve is a good guy. You were pretty on the  
nose with your last review. I've had all this planned out for a while and you seemed to call it very  
well. Does that mean I'm predictable? Oh well. You're too cool You're a S/C fan, but you still  
read this story faithfully. Thank you.

Belldandy-sama: Shocker huh? Leon the killer. Bet this chapter was a eyes you  
guys seemed to call it a mile away! But thank you for the nice review. When are you going to  
put up your story? Ya know Steve vs. Leon? Hint hint. But you are so nice. I can't believe how  
many Steve lovers like this story. It's kind of refreshing! Thanks!

Darryl-Flowers: I'm glad you think this story is coming along. I'm wondering if I'm painting  
myself into a corner with this story. But you've made my day. I really thank you. Don't give up  
on Leon. More is still to come.

tre0220: I confused you? That's to bad. I did send you an email. But it wouldn't send. Sorry.  
Basically, Chris and Claire found an underground lab under the Mansion, they got separated.  
Claire found Leon, but he tried to kill her, so she locked him in the boiler room. And that's were  
this story started off at. I hope this chapter made sense. And no, I don't think you're stupid.  
Thanks for the review.

Tifa Redfield : Tifa! Hey, what can I say to the person who I always look for? You rock, but you  
already know that. Just stating the obvious. Thanks for the Review! You don't waste any of my  
time? What's that about? You need to show me some tips on how to not rush things so fast. I  
kind of have a problem with doing that.. I hope I didn't give you a heart attack with this last  
chapter. Leon. . I still love him. I'm in no way a Steve fan now. That's one thing you and I have  
a strong bond on. We both love Leon and Claire. How can you not? But Thank you. You're the  
sweetest thing. And I mean that in a good way, not sickening sweet way. Thanks again.

Joanne Beverly: Wow, I have talent? That means a lot. I'm glad you liked that chapter. Because  
I didn't. I was kind of rushing it. But thank you for your sweet words. And thanks for the  
Review.

Frenchy:Well, I'm glad you weren't disappointed. I was worried I had you built up for this big  
thing. But Ada still to come. Thank you.

Dale: Thank you! That means a lot that you think I'm one hell of a writer. Very Sweet! You kick  
butt, as always, thank you!

REM: dude! Were have you been? Thanks for the review. You're too cool. Don't fall of the edge  
of your seat. Thanks


	11. Let the fun begin

**_Sometimes they Come Back_**

**_By diddly day_**

**_A/N: Okay, time for chapter 11. I'm glad you all like the last one. Anyway, I hope you like this one as well. Sorry once again for the delay, I've had finals. Errrr._**

**_In the process of re-writing this, some of the words got a little jumbled together. I think it has something to do with changing the format. I have gone through and corrected this, but I'm not sure if I got them all. So please excuse any further mistakes._**

_**Disclaimer: NOT MINE**_

_**Chapter 11**_

"Ouch! Please Chris, not so hard on the ribs," Claire pleaded as he hauled her up the steps, back into the room where Steve had led her not so long ago.

Her head rolled as blood ran down her face. Steve looked back from time to time as if he were looking for someone. Afraid that someone might pop up out of nowhere.

"Sorry," Chris whispered.

They entered the door right next to the one that Claire had confronted Ada in. Chris was surprised to find that the room was filled with computer monitors. TV screens filled the wall as angles of different parts of the lab popped up on each screen.

"Where's Ada?" Claire breathed.

She leaned her broken body against the wall. She felt Chris's arm tighten around her as she changed her weight from one foot to the other. The sting of pain filled her stomach, within seconds she could feel a warm liquid in her throat again, blood spilling from her lips and down her chin.

"She's - Oh Claire!" Steve rushed to her side and propped her against the padded wall. "She's locked in the room down the hall, I knocked her out before I left."

"I'm okay," her voice gurgled from the blood still oozing out of her mouth.

"We need to get her to a hospital." Chris's shaky voice was low and grave.

"And how do you purpose we do that?" Steve almost shouted. He sounded as scared as Chris. He turned and fiddled with one of the computers in the corner of the room. "We are stuck here in the middle of the Alps!"

"There's a base not far from here. I saw it on the map. If we get her there, we can get to a hospital!" Chris held dramatically onto his sister, having no idea the pain he was causing her.

Steve stopped typing, his head whipped around making his hair hang freely in his emerald eyes. His one brow raised.

"Well, that changes everything."

He began to typ furiously, his fingers pounding on the keyboard.

"What are you doing?" Claire asked, her head resting against the wall. Sweat and blood mixed in her hair, causing it to cling to her face.

"I'm typing in the codes to release the automatic locks. So we can get your friends out." His face never left the computer screen.

"Why are you doing this?" Chris asked. For that second Steve stopped. "Why are you helping us? What made you change?"

Steve looked Chris up and down, his eyes then gazed at Claire.

"I was never working for them. You'd think I'd forget what they did to me? If it weren't for Nexxus, or Umbrella, I would've never been in this shit to begin with." He turned back to the computer. "I'd tried to warn you earlier, but things got. . .err, in the way."

"At least we got that cleared up," Chris muttered to himself.

"Ah ha! Got it!"

The loud cracking sound of Steve banning his hands together made Claire's eyes snap open.

"The doors are unlocked." His grin reached ear to ear.

There was another loud cracking sound, but this time it wasn't Steve's hands. The side of the computer monitor beside him blew apart, and gun smoke-filled Claire's nostrils. Steve's hands flew up over his head as he ducked down onto the ground. Chris spun around to find his face centimeters from a gun barrel.

"You little shit!"a wounded Ada Wong shrieked at Steve, her gun smacking Chris in the face as she turned it onto the young man on the ground.

"Oh damn," Steve vented. He looked up at the insane sight of Ada.

"Traitor! You pulled the wool over my eyes, but I'll get you for that!"

Ada raised her gun again but Chris's arm was too quick as it lashed out and grabbed it. It only was a second, but it seemed to last forever. Claire was moving in slow motion. The scene of the Ada and Chris struggling, Steve getting off the floor to help Chris and herself, making a pitiful attempt to help Chris.

Then . . .

The gun went off. Everything flashed back into motion as Chris fell to his knees, clutching his leg. Ada's gun whipped at Steve. Another shot. Steve flew back onto the ground, blood leaching down his shoulder.

"You bitch!" Claire lurched forward but stopped as she the rim of the gun was now pointed at her.

Ada's eyes looked as if she were about to go insane with fury, but the fog was lifted from her eyes as she saw Claire's blood, broken, and battered shape.

"I see hubby got to you first," Ada smiled. "Look at you. You can barely stand let alone walk."

"Don't you touch her," Chris grunted from the floor. His pants were now dark from the blood.

"Shut up!" Ada snapped. "I never pictured your end would be this fun." She raised the gun a little bit higher. Claire shut her eyes. But death never came. "Lets make it a little more fun," Ada grinned, that insane, narcissistic, evil grin at Claire.

Claire turned her head to look at Steve. He was trying to lift his head to look at her, and Chris, clenching his upper leg, his face bright red with pain.

She was to blame. Claire might as well have pulled the trigger. None of this would've happened if she just hadn't let Ada beat her in the bathroom. But everything had changed now. Right now, she would've done anything to protect the people she loved, and if that meant playing Ada sadistic games, then so be it.

"What?" All air escaped her lungs. Ada pressed the gun to her temple. Pressing it so to direct her to the door, she reached her hand out and opened the door.

"Go," was all she said.

Claire stood at her in utter shock. Afraid to speak, Claire just stood there, dumbfounded.

"Go, lets so how far you can get without getting killed." Ada had gone insane. That's all there was to it. "This should be fun to watch you die."

"No," she wasn't going to leave them. Not even if it meant her life.

"Do it or I'll kill them," Ada stated smoothly and firmly.

She pointed the gun at her brother and friend. Claire couldn't control her legs, they were wondering out the door, before she could protest it slammed in her face. There she stood in, in the cold, harsh hall of an underground lab.

_It hurts to walk._

_It hurts to breathe._

_Why?_

Why the hell did this have to happen to her? It took every ounce of strength not to fall on the ground and cry like a five-year-old. She limped down the corridor, pressing against the wall for support. Blood smeared as she pressed forward, making it easy for her to slide along the hall. What could she do? There had to be something that she could do to help her friends.

_The doors. They are unlocked, remember? Steve did it and Ada doesn't know._

She could easily use Barry, Jill, Rebecca and Carlos to help her. As soon as the thought took hold of her mind, Claire pressed forward. She was going to make it. She was going to _live._

Opening the door to the hall to where she and Leon had had their battle, she expected to find him sprawled out on the ground. Head wounded and body bleeding. Her eyes bulged at the sight she suffered. She looked at the white floor.

_No Leon._

A few brown and dark red smeared stains dashed on the floor where his body had once been. Claire could feel her jaw twitter. Her legs felt heavier than they did when she was running away from Leon. Her mouth suddenly seemed very dry. She desperatly wanted a glass of water. And her neck felt tenser than she could ever remember.

_He was somewhere._

She began walking as briskily as she could down the hallway. All the while ignoring the terrible pain in her legs, lungs, and chest. It felt as though a small shock flew to her brain, and she became suddenly very tired. But he was here, roaming about somewhere. . .

Maybe he had gotten to the others first. No, Claire didn't want to think about that. He was probably down by the boiler room, looking for Claire. A terrible feeling vulnerability washed through her. She didn't have anything. Her gun had been lost along with Ada's mind. And _He _was here, roaming about the lab. All she had to do was get to her friends in their cells. They could protect her from Leon.

_Something moved behind her._

She continued to stagger down the corridor.

_Just keep moving. Just keep moving._

She heard something groan, and it scuttered out of the shadows.

Claire wheeled around to see Leon's shattered shape standing no more then twenty feet behind her. His head in his hands.

_Run! _her brain screamed. _He's going to kill you! Run!_

But she couldn't run. Her legs where to battered, she could hardly walk. She backed up against the wall in terror. Her eyes never leaving Leon. He wavered a little, his body looking extremly pale. Leon's hands fell to his sides as he looked at her. As soon as his blue eyes met hers, her horror flaired within her. Claire's legs hobbled down the hallway.

"Claire," he wheezed. It sounded weak, ill, faint.

She couldn't breathe. Every step she took sent splintering pain through her shins and kneecaps.

He was behind her. They were back where they started. Only this time, she didn't have the strength to fight him again. There was no way she could spare his life again if she was given the oppertunity. Until now, Claire had managed to hold onto a small bit of hope that she and her friends would get out of here alive. But now she was gave up. Leon was gone. Her Leon was gone. . . .

_Get away, get away. Don't die, just don't die._

"Claire!" he screeched louder. Tears were flowing down her face.

_I'm not going to die._

He staggering right behind her.

"Claire!"

Closer and closer.

_I will not let. . .Him kill me._

"Claire!"

_Just get to Barry. Just get to Jill. Just get away!_

"Claire!"

Large hands wrapped around her. The pain in her stomach returned. His hot stomach pressed over her back. She could feel his knees knocking withthe back of her legs as he grabbed her. Pain shot through her shins and her knees gave way.

They fell.

She could feel his body crashing on top of her as they smashed against the floor. Lava splashed from her lips as she coughed up more blood. Everything became instantly hazy. It was difficult to fight off her dizziness. She couldn't breathe. Not through her tears, not through her screams. Not to the monster she had once called her husband on top of her.

She was not going to die. She was not going to give up. Flipping herself on to her back, she faced him. His chest pressed firmly over hers. Strands of his bloody hair brushing her face. His ragged breath surging over her skin.

"No!" she yelled. She clawed at him, scratched, pushed, anything to get him off her. "Get off! Get off!" She began to pound her fist's against him.

"Claire!" She felt him grab her wrists.

"Get off me. GET OFF!" she howled. She didn't realize it, but something in the way he held her wrists, it was different. He wasn't gripping her as hard. . . .

"Claire," his voice wasn't mad, insane, or crazy.

She stopped. She stopped was time to give for her part to end.

And he didn't touch her.

The tears began to flow once more, as her sobs turn to heart wrenching wails. She cried so hard, so hard it made her chest and stomach hurt. She waited for his fists to come raining down on her, but instead she felt his hands slip from her wrists to her shoulders. Lightly squeezing her tense arms. It felt good. She felt as if he were draining her of stress.

Cracking her eyes open, she looked at him. His figure blurry through her tears. She tried to blink them away, but more came. One of his hands left her shoulder and brushed her eyes, wiping her tear stained face. She stared at him in awe. His face was caked in blood.

"Claire?" Leon Kennedy said.

_Blinking away her tears, he squinted at him. His lips were trembling. The deep red surrounding his irises were gone. His eyes weren't burning blue anymore. They were deep and stormy. Like the ocean. . . like she remembered._

Claire could feel him exhale as he matched her breathing with his own. His chest rising and falling gently. His soft fingers were moving down her back. Claire held her breath. . . .so did he. Something was oozing out of the side of her mouth, but she didn't care. Her eyes frantically searched Leon's. The way his eyebrows netted together, he looked so familiar.

_Is it. . . is he really. . .my -_

"Honey," he hushed.

He was gazing at her with the same expression he held after they made love. Claire began to inhale dramatically. His heart was pounding against hers. And his lips were inches away from her own. Leon's eyelashes fluttered lightly over her skin and he carefully moved closer. His hands gripped her hips, and Claire felt strikingly hot. She gazed into his eyes again. . . .

_It's him._

A hot wave of love spread through her body like wildfire. His chest was heaving and his face was darker with blood. But the look in his eyes showed nothing but pure love, devotion, and concern.

"Leon?" she finally managed to stifle out.

He peered carefully into her eyes. His lips so close. Silently, he nodded. Dipping his head, his mouth tasted hers lightly. Claire's heart tingled as she savored his flavor. Inhaling softly, he bent forward and kissed her again. He pulled away and stared at her. She was sweating again. Closing her eyes, his lips plucked lightly at hers at first. Then, they twisted and slipped over her mouth.

Claire couldn't help it. She opened her mouth and his tongue snaked its way in, softly grazing over her tongue. The taste of his flesh. The sensation of teeth as she explored his mouth. His gentle breathing growing violent as their lips coiled sensually together. His body growing hot. Leon wrapped his arms excitedly around her and groaned. She crept her hands around his neck. Her bloody fingers roaming though his hair. She kissed the skin below his ear. Her swollen mouth brushing, traveling over the stubble on his face. His rough skin like honey to her mouth. She could taste his sweat and blood. Her damp cheeks pressing against his as her lips roved over his battered, hurt, beautiful face.

He let out a gasp. She didn't care, not one bit. For that moment, Chris, Steve, Ada and the rest were as far from her mind as possible. The only thing, the most important thing in her life, right then and there, was Leon. She tingled as she captured his fiery lips with hers. The bursting sensation of him sent a thrill down her body. Their bloody mouths grazing each others with such passion, that Claire thought even Wesker couldn't stop them. He kissed her back with the same passion, his tongue wrestling with hers. His blood tasted thick and rich. Savoring each other, thirsting for each other. Her lungs were about to explode. That didn't matter, she was willing to drink him in until she passed out.

A surge of wild hormones flooded through her, and her skin flushed. She wanted him. _Now._ For the first time that night her body was aching with something other than pain. Tugging at his shirt, she tried to pull it over his head. She needed this. She needed him. And she was now extremely hungery.

She was starting to black out from lack of air. But she couldn't stop kissing him. Her body screamed in protest as his mouth pulled away from hers. He gripped his shirt to keep her from peeling it off.

"Stop," he moaned. His face was bright red and his chest heaved against hers.

"No, please," she whispered, touching his waist.

"We can't," he grunted, slightly frustrated. "Not now."

She raised her head to kiss him once more, but he grabbed her shoulders, and gently pushed her back.

"I'm confused, Claire," he started. And for the first time that night, she felt as though he were staring at her properly. "What-who? Who did this to you?"

His warm hands wandered to her back pulling her so she wasn't flat on her back. His face was angry, but not at her. He looked as if he wanted to kill someone.

"I love you," she gasped, sliding a hand over his chest. His hands grasped each side of her face. He stared at her with such passion, stroking each side of her face.

"Claire, who did this to you?" he spoke slowly, trying to get her to concentrate.

_Who? Who did this to me?_

He didn't remember. She peered at him, studying his face. He had completely forgotten is rage only an hour before. He had entirely erased the memory of strangling her. Hurting her. Killing her.

"Y-you," she blurted out.

That was wrong. She shouldn't have said that. It wasn't Leon who had hurt her. It was that thing. The monster that Ada made him. The dizziness returned, and she clentched onto Leon's shirt to keep her from falling over.

He looked at her with turmoil. Moving her hands from his shirt, she gripped face with her hands, shadowing his actions. His head slightly shook.

"I-_what_?"

His hands pulled away from her face as if it burned. He paused and his eyes glazed over with such horror that Claire knew that he was remembering something.

"I was injected," he muttered to himself.

"Leon it wasn't you, Okay? It _wasn't!" _She tried to take it back. His face scrunched in hideous disgust. Those wonderful icy eyes held such shame that it made Claire want to perish with him.

He stumbled back. Sliding further away from her as he could possibly get. Shock cast over his handsome features.

"I-I hurt you?" his voice so soft, so innocent. Tears streamed down his face as he gazed at her blood-stained, abused body. "I did that to you?"

"No. It wasn't your fault," she pleaded. She reached up and wiped her nose with her fist. Crawling to ward and watching her husband.

Leon shut his eyes, his mouth turned down and a woeful grimace. His face breaking out in grisly suffering. The blood on his hands now brown, making his fingers stick together. Cloaking his face with his broken hands, he let out a yelp. Claire could do nothing but watch as the one she loved most on the brink of insanity.

"It's my fault." he choked, his voice muffled through his hands. "My fault. It's always my fault. ALL MY DAMN FAULT!"

"No," Claire slid closer to him.

He caught sight of her moving toward him and sprang to his feet, in a desperate attempt to run away from her. His feet slid on the ground because of the blood that was smeared on the floor, causing him to fall down.

"Go away!" he barked as she caught up to him. He rested his head on the ground. "Get out. Go! Leave me alone before I do. . .before I do _that_ again!"

He started to cry.

She had never seen him weep before. And she never wished to see him weep again. He lay on the floor, curled up and sobbing like a little boy. All of his guilt, sorrow and pain bursting out. All of his insecurities, unsteadiness had now been released and she didn't think that she could take him existing in such misery.

Crawling on all fours, she carefully made his way over to him. Careful not to disturb him any further. Gently, she placed her mangled hands on his tense back. He flinched quickly, but Claire didn't let him go. Gently rubbing his lower back, his suffering seemed to stop for a second.

Tracing her fingers over his spine, she pressed on his tight parts. It wasn't until she heard the moan escape his lips that she leaned forward to his ear. Her cracked lips brushing itlightly as he began to speak.

"You won't do it again, Leon," she murmured. "I helped you, I cured you."

"How? _How_ did you cure me?" he snarled. Claire knew that he wasn't snarling at her. He was snarling at himself. "What cure could possibly _undo_ all that damage?" he waved his arm at her.

"You did nothing wrong," he stayed silent. "I'm not the only one who got damaged. I hurt you as well. Look at yourself."

"It's not the same," Leon responded weakly. He tucked his head further into his hands. "You hurt me so I wouldn't kill you."

She grabbed his hands and brought them down so he was facing her.

"That doesn't matter. Leon, it doesn't I know that you would never hurt me. It wasn't you, Leon, it wasn't you."

She kissed his lips once more. Trying to reassure him that she still loved him. The pain in her stomach returned and she pulled away.

"I love you," Leon choked out.

The two stayed that way for a long while. Their weariness coursing through every fiber of their being. Once or twice, Claire found her eyes drifting shut.

Finally, she moved closer to him. "I _know_ you love me. And you _know_ I love you back."

He didn't say anything. She wondered if he had fallen asleep.

"We need to get going," she sighed remembering Chris and Steve. "A lot has happened."

He stood and pulled her up carefully.

"What is the last thing you remember?" she asked as they started to hobble down the hall.

"We were in the mansion," Leon looked around again. "Where the hell are we?"

"An underground lab. Is the last thing you remember talking to me when we were keeping watch?"

He shook his head.

"No, I was talking to Wesker. They- they put something in me."

"The rage virus," Claire clarified. "And after that?" Leon stopped, he squinted off into the distance.

"It all went black. The next thing I knew, I woke up surrounded in blood and my groin hurt like hell." Claire frowned at this.

"That's it?"

"Well then I saw you and you started to run away from me." He looked distressed, his face  
curving into a frown. " At first, I thought Ada had done that to you."

_Ada._

"We have to get the rest out!" she heaved as she pushed onwared. Leon nodded, stilll confused, but ready to fight.

"You found them?" So much had happened, in such little time. Claire felt as if she had been stuck in this lab for decades.

"The doors are unlocked. We have to hurry." Leon's arm gripped her as he started to move where Claire told him to go.

"They're through that door." The door flew open, smacking the wall and rattling it.

Leon stopped, dead in his tracks. All the doors to the cells were open. All of her friends were out. At a pile at the end of the hall. Ropes bound their hands and feet. What had happened? How had they all gotten out?

"Hm, glad you could join us," said a man with dark sunglasses as he walked out of one of the open cells, an unconscious Sherry thrown over his should.

"What did you do to them Wesker?" growled Leon. Desperately hanging onto Claire with his bloody fingers.

"Oh Mister Kennedy. I didn't expect to see you so. . . . detached."

Wesker placed Sherry down on top of Jill.

"What did you do?" Leon asked again.

"Nothing, just gave them a little tranquilizer. I can't have them in the way you know. Running around, messing up my plans.

Wesker turned to face Leon and Claire.

"You know, if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself. A saying I live by. Look at Ada, losing her mind and holding your brother and "friend" hostage. Steve betrayed us. But I knew he would. I knew ever since I saved him at that Arctic base that he would break like a twig."

He walked forward to Claire, Leon trying to push her behind him, but she wouldn't budge.

"But you, Mrs. Kennedy, you are much stronger then I thought. Stronger than Ada anyway. You even, somehow, managed to defeat your crazed husband, and cure him at the same time. I admire  
that."

He reached out with his hand and stroked her chin. Leon's hand came flying through the air, crashing into Wesker's face.

Turning his head back from Leon's blow, Wesker faced him with undoubtable fury. His glasses were smashed, and under neath, a peak of yellow glinted sharply where his eyes should've been. Pulling them away from his face, Wesker inspected them carefully. His eyes like a Lion, roaming about the small object that he held in his hands. Silently his hands shot out and gripped Leon by the throat. Pulling his small handgun from his pocket, Wesker pointed it in Leon's face.

"No!" Claire shrilled as she fell to the ground without Leon's support.

"Goodbye Kennedy," Wesker said as he pulled the trigger.

_**To Be Continued.**_

_**A/N: Done! Chapter 11 is done. I'm thinking one or two more to go. Then I have another story I'll be working on. **_

Santiago: Aww! How sweet of you! To compar me to those guys is . . .wow! I don't even have  
words to describe how awesome you are. I Think I've heard that song. But I can't remember  
how it goes. Well anyway, thank you so much!

Agent182: I'm glad you liked it. I really Ada too. In case you couldn't tell. hehe. But I'm happy  
that you like this story enough to review. I look forward to these all the time. You have no idea.  
Thanks again!

Tifa Redfield: Yo hon! Thank you so much for your support. Loved your last chapter by the  
way. I love having my L/C posse. It makes me feel cool. Well, maybe not, but it's something  
that I can talk about with you. I'm sorry you had exams, those suck like no other. I can't tell you  
how awesome I think you are with words. You always review, and you are always so supportive.  
If there was an award for being a great review/writer, I'm betting you would get it, Not that I  
don't love everyone else's review. Thank you a million!

Amy-brat: Wow, you're so awesome to say something like that! I really appreciate it. Thank you  
for your kinds words. See ya!

Tre0220: Hehe, glad you liked that chapter. It makes me feel so warm and fuzzy, like always.  
I'm begging to think that everyone hates Ada and wants her to die. Well that probably will  
happen. Thank you for the review.

Darryl-flowers: You're an Aussie? Cool! I hope I don't piss you off to much. Too much for one  
chapter. Thank you!

Frenchy: I think a lot of people hate Steve. But thank you. It's a complement when you can  
make someone stand a character. Thank you very much.

Saunce: You liked the last chapter, I had a feeling you would. Steve loves Claire, how sweet. I  
think that in whatever happened, Steve would always love Claire. It's nice that you still read this  
story even though you love Steve that just shows how cool you are. Thanks a bunch!

Joanne Beverly: Thank you tons Jo. I always love hearing from you. That would've been a little  
funny if it was a fake Leon. The action in this chapter wasn't as much, but hoped ya enjoyed.  
Thanks for the review!

Hotaru: I knew you liked NYPD blue. That is a great show. You liked to analyze stories, I can  
tell, you're like me in that way. It's cool, it means you're smart. And the TRUST NO ONE  
sounds like something from the X-files. I used to be a die-hard X-file fan. Thank you for the nice  
review.

Belldandy-sama: I knew that Steve being a good guy would tickle your fancy. I don't really  
think I want to picture Steve and Alfred. But whatever does it for ya, JK. Thank you for the nice  
review.

dale: Hey dale. Sorry I didn't have time to tell ya how cool you are in my last chapter. If you  
want to upload a story, you have to become an author and then go to document manger on your  
select option screen. You can brows your files from your computer and upload it there. Then  
you go into create a story or upload story and just pick and chose what you want for your fic. If  
you have anymore questions, you can mail me at Thank you  
so much for your awesome comments, and you really do mean a whole lot to this story. Thank  
you again.

REM: Hey! Yep you got the nightmare. I'm impressed, I sometimes think my writing is very  
vague. I miss all kinds of things. But you somehow catch all of the little things. Thank you for  
your wonderful comments.

diddly day


	12. Time to die

_**Sometimes they Come Back**_

_**diddly day**_

_**Disclaimer: Not mine, Nada!**_

_**A/N: Every time I see the name of this chapter, I think of the Rob Zombie song. "Time to diiieeee!" I didn't mean to do that at the time. Great, now I ruined it for myself. So read the chapter, and if you like it, send me a review. But if you hate it, go away.**_

_**Chapter 12**_

_Click._

Leon flinched as the he expected to feel the side of his head be blown to bits. Instead, the sight of Wesker's cold eyes gazing at him, alertly moved to the trigger of his pistol. The yellow gleam of his eyes widened with shock. At that moment, Leon knew that Wesker had not intended to spare his life.

"Misfire." Leon whispered.

He only had time to catch a glimpse of Wesker's finger pulling back the trigger once more before Claire let out a hair-raising shout.

_"Leon! Get down!"_

Reacting on command, Leon's lower body dropped, just missing the earsplitting shriek of the bullet whizzing by his head. Without hesitation, he pulled his fist back and rammed it into Wesker's crotch.

For a man who could pick Leon up and fling like he weighed no more then a bundle of sticks, Wesker's face turned the color of deep scarlet and his tiger-like eyes bulged out of his head in pain. Leon, acting quick, took this opportunity to snatch his gun away from him. Rising from his crouched position, he quickly jumped up, and if being of a seesaw, Wesker fell to his knees in desperate agony.

_Finish him off,_ the voice in the back of Leon's head told him.

Dropping aglance at Claire, lying on the ground in misery, he could feel his finger pulling back the trigger ever so slightly.

"Do it," grunted Wesker, his face now turning back to its original, ghostly white, color. "Lets see how much of a man you are."

Those were soon to be his last words. In a split second he would be gone, out of their lives forever. Anger boiled up in the depth of Leon's heart, and was about to erupt, when a bullet hissed so close to his ear, he could feel the wind on it.

"I'll get you, you asshole!" It was Ada.

He could hear Claire groan, but her groan turned into a shout of victory as she soon who_ else_ entered the room.

"Chris!" he heard her shout with love and compassion.

Faster then he had got the gun, Leon could feel it ripped from his hands. Wesker's cold laugh echoed in his mind. Turning to face the beast that he so unwilling almost killed.

"You've always had a short attention span, Kennedy." Wesker grinned as the gun twitched lightly in his hand.

"I'll kill you!" Ada's shrill voice once again broke Leon's concentration on Wesker.

"Shut up!" boomed Wesker. "You've finished your duty! Now leave!" The gun suddenly pointed over Leon's shoulder and fired towards Ada. Leon's head whipped around on instinct, only to see Ada still standing in place.

"You're getting a little rusty, aren't you Wesker?" Ada spat. The gun cocked again.

"That was a _warning,_ Miss Wong. Next time I won't miss."

"I'll give you that chance now, bastard!" Leon backed up as Ada raised her pistol to Wesker. The two seemed to be occupied with each other.

"Don't tempt me my dear," hissed Wesker in his deep voice.

There they stood, their guns pointed in each others faces. Leon dove over to Claire side, while Chris limped over to Leon.

"Put your arms around me, Claire," he whispered. Claire, weakly put her arms around her husband. Lifting her, he was alarmed by how light she was. Almost as light and as soft as a pillow.

"Go," Chris soughed. Ada and Wesker bickering made it easy for either of them not to noticed the three of them. "Get her out of here."

"But Chris-" Leon protested.

"I'll be fine."

Chris lifted up his untucked shirt to show the small hand gun he had tucked in his belt. "Just go!"

Leon nodded and gripping Claire gently, sprinted toward the door.

Once outside, Leon closed the door with his foot, and latched it by pressing his back against it. He looked at Claire, blood seemed to stream everywhere on her body. When he pressed carefully on her stomach to keep her from rolling out of his arms, she moaned. Terror struck him as he realized that he hadhurt herto the point of re-breaking her rib.

"Put me down. . . .Leon. . . .please. . . .I can. . .walk," her breath came out choppy. She was losing more blood.

"No, I'm not letting you go," he hushed.

His eyes may have been deceiving him, but he thought he could see her mouth form a small smile.

"I'm not. . . .going anywhere."

"You think you can walk?" she looked at the ground and then at the small lift at the end of the hall. She inhaled deeply.

"I know I can walk," she responded in one breath.

Reluctantly, he put her feet on the ground. She swayed lightly at first, but composed herself and began to walk, slowly. She made it about to steps before she stumbled. Almost falling, Leon quickly grabbed her arms and pulled her close.

Resting her chin on his chest, they stared at each other. A mixture of sweat and blood coated her face and her eyes glinted with hope. Her greasy hair clumped together in strands, and blood which lead a trail from the corner of her mouth down to her chin was beginning to dry. Shadows of her hair framed her face, holding her eyes in dark mystery. She never looked more beautiful.

"Lets hurry up. Shall we?" a rather high piercing voice said from behind them.

Leon looked around to see the boy who had held a gun to Claire's head only hours before, standing with his hand clamped over his shoulder. His green shirt, turning black over the spot where his hand covered told Leon he had been shot.

"You!" Leon shouted. "You're the one who had the needle! You helped put that stuff in me!"

The young man looked shameful as well as impatient. He stared past Leon and at Claire, waiting for her to say something.

"It's okay, Leon," Claire's hand slid up and rested on his chest. "He's with us. He helped me save you. It's Steve."

_Burnside?_ _Steve Burnside?_

He knew he had heard that name somewhere. It all seemed to make sense now. Leon turned to look at him.

"So you're the famous Steve," Leon couldn't help the hint of bitterness that was in his voice. "Are you here to help us? Or are you going to switch teams again?" Steve raised an eyebrow at him.

"So you're the famous Leon. I heard about you when I met Claire. Between you and me, I think she had a little thing for ya."

Despite his cockiness, Leon smiled at him. He was likeable enough. But only enough to get them out of here. And Claire had a blush creep into her neck.

"Steve," she whispered warningly. Steve smiled at Claire, and Leon looked down at his wife.

"She never shut up about you on Rock Fort," Steve continued.

Leon also raised his eyebrows at her.

"Is that so?"

"_Now's_ not the time," Claire stated looking away from her husbands gaze.

"Right, come one," Steve walked besides Claire and Leon. "I know where we can go to get out of here." Leon put an arm around Claire and began to help her walk down the hall.

"Where's that?" he asked Steve.

"I was the one who flew Ada over, so I know where to go. There's a small jet plain located in the back of this lab. All we have to do is get to it." Steve clutched his shoulder and watched Claire closely as she hobbled down the hall.

"How do we get there?" asked Claire. Leon could feel her hands gripping on his shirt with all of her strength.

"Just follow me," Steve said briskly and walked in front of them, leading them away from the elevator.

The three speedily, (or as speedily as they could) heeled through the lab.

"So what happened back there? After I left?" Claire questioned again, her curiosity getting the best of her. Steve cast a glance over at her.

They came to a door, and Steve jerked it open. It was dark, except for a few lights, which flickered causing a sort of strobe effect. Out of know where, a sort of fear leaped into Leon. Not the kind that he was used to. Having Wesker attack him at the last minute, or Claire dying. It was different from all the times he busted a few drug dealers, orhaving to clean up a crime scene.

_No, it's a different kind of fear. It is silly fear._

This was a type of childhood fear. When you were afraid to take the trash out at night, or to look under you bed in fright of a monster peering at you.

"After you left, Ada just ranted, about how we were all gonna die, and that how I was going to burn in hell for betraying her, blah blah blah."

"Sounds rough," Leon muttered. This time Steve threw him an annoyed peek.

"Anyway. When she saw you, Leon, and Wesker on the security camera's, she just flipped out. Started shouting 'that bastard, that bastard!' and jetted out of there," Steve shook his head at the memory. "Chris and I just stared at each other, and followed her. What else were we supposed to do?"

"She's crazy," Claire mumbled quietly. "She just snapped."

"I think she was always crazy," Steve responded. "She acted really weird when we were alone with her. But she probably covered it up better when she was with you. Ada's a great actress."

_She fooled all of us._

All of them kept silent. Leon wondered how Chris was taking his situation. If he wasn't dead already.

**_I I I_**

"I should kill you right here!" Ada shouted. Wesker flinched, Chris thought he looked like he was using all his might not to shoot her.

"Do not forget who you are talking to," Wesker grunted through his vampire-like-teeth.

"Do not forget who made you. I worked on the S-toxin to make you into the tyrant you are. So don't bitch to me about being superior!" Ada fired back.

Chris crawled forward to the others, who lay sprawled out incapacitated. Jill's eyelids were beginning to flutter. The rise and fall of her chest was slow, and her face was cold and clammy. She licked her cracked lips. When Chris looked down he saw that her hand was shaking. Quickly, but softy, he began to lightly slap her face.

"Jill, Jill!" he whispered.

Ada and Wesker were screaming now. Any second Chris expected them to start shooting each other. Not that it would do Ada any good.

"Jill get up!" Her eyelids were rising. "You've got to get up! C'mon Jill!"

Jill took a deep breath, and when she did, her chest rattled. Chris winced.

"Okay! Okay! Look at me." She did.

Sure she was looking at him, but was she seeing him?

"Where am I?" her voice was raspy.

The breath that Chris had been holding exploded and for the first time in what felt like forever, he smiled.

"Long story. You've been drugged, so's everyone else. We need to get out now!" he rushed.

Jill stared at him blankly. Her eye searched his face.

"You're hurt."

She was looking at his head that Leon had bashed in. Chris had completely forgotten the pain. The blood was now drying and sticking to the side of his face.

"I'll be fine. But it's hard to walk. I got shot in-"

A _slapping_ noise interrupted him and he froze.

Jill's eyes widened as she stared past him at Wesker and Ada.

"What?" he asked. Jill didn't answer. She just stared straight ahead of her, shocked. _"What?"_ he asked more urgnetly.

Chris was afraid to hear the answer, he hadn't forgotten about Ada and Wesker, as they seemed to have clearly forgotten about he and Jill.

"She slapped him," Jill hushed. She was staring at Wesker with horror, her face turning snowy white, looking as if she were about to vomit.

_Trying to be as smooth as possible, Chris's head turned around gaze at the horrific scene. It must've only been a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity. Wesker stood with the side of his face that was visible to Chris pulsing red. Ada was bunching her fist as if it were in pain. Their eyes locked the whole time, Ada raised her gun again, but Wesker was to fast._

"_You stupid little bitch,"_ he said softly.

His hand stretched out and snatched the gun away from her and with a quick _snap_, broke her wrist on the hand which had slapped him. Before she had time to utter a cry, his other hand shot out and grasped her throat. He lifted her above the ground like a piece of styrofoam. The vain's bulged from his arm. Ada, her tiny hands around his heroic fist, trying in vain to get away from the evil monster she had created. Then. . .he smiled his wicked smile. The smile of Satan himself.

"To be killed by the thing in which you created. Ironic isn't it?"

Ada managed to squeak in reply, her face was turning purple.

"Miss Wong," Wesker spoke slowly. "I'm relieved to inform you that your assignment is finished."

He was so quick, Chris couldn't figure out how he got so much momentum without swinging his arms back. Within seconds, Ada was air born, her body crashed into the metal door. The crack of her ribs was enough to make Chris want to pass out.

But unlike he thought, her body didn't stop at the door. The door bent, making a popping noise at it broke from it's frame and a loud thud on the ground. Ada's body flew through the air, sailing like a shooting star, right into the wall across the hall. Her head hit it first, making her neck bend back. The impact caved her head as the white wall was now streaked in blood. Dark blood oozed from her head as she slowly slid to the floor.

Her lifeless body crumbling on the floor.

They were never going to escape him. He would kill them before hey got out, or die trying. As Chris stared at Ada's bloody, cracked head, he could feel his stomach turn. Wesker had probably given her whiplash when she smashed into that wall. He turned his eyes away back at Jill. That's when he felt a strong hand grasp his shirt.

"I almost forgot about you,"

Wesker's low growl sent a chill through his soul. The ground left his feet and he was left hanging in the air, facing the devil. His hands gripping his neck like he had with Ada.

"Chris, you and I keep running into each other," Chris stared into Wesker's yellow eyes, unable to breathe. "But that won't be happening anymore. I'll make sure of that."

And just as he had done with Ada, Chris found himself flying through the air. Knowing what was coming, he tucked his head so his chin was pressed against his chest. He felt his body hit the wall, and because of his quick actions, his head was saved from being caved in from the blast. A pain shot through his shoulder, and he landed on something lumpy.

His head snapped up, staring into the cold, dead eyes of Ada. Her pupils were dilated, the blood from her skull running through her eyes. A scream erupted deep in Chris's chest as he tried to lurch away from the dead body. He bones stuck out of her neck making him shake with terror. He tried to slither away from her. His belly sliding across the floor like a serpent, trying to remember to breathe. He stopped when he saw Wesker's boot stand before him. Automatically, he reached for his pistol tucked in his belt, but before he could, Wesker brought his boot crashing down on Chris's hand. His teeth clamped down in pain and he could feel Wesker's hand on him, pulling his gun out of his belt.

"You just hide these everywhere don't you?" Wesker turned the gun in his hands.

"Get. . .away!" Chris heaved through clenched teeth. Wesker moved his foot over Chris's hand to silence him.

"Do me a favor Chris, just die."

Chris heard the click of his gun. He shut his eyes waiting for his life to end. A woman's shout interrupted his wait for death, and instantly Chris's eyes shot up to see Jill hurling herself at Wesker with a pole, much like the one Leon used to smack him with, clenched in her hands. The presser from his hand lifted as Wesker whirled around. Before Jill could so much as lay a finger on him, his hand pressed against her face and sent her flying back five feet. Her skin squeaked as she slide across the white tile floor. Wesker now seemed to be distracted with Jill. Thinking quick, Chris reached for his trusty pocket knife and with a quick thrust, sent in plunging into Wesker's leg.

He let out a cry and spun around back at Chris. Before getting up and running down the hall toward the boiler room, Chris threw a quick graze at Jill who looked up dazed. He could hear Wesker running after him. Usually, he was fast than lighting, but the knife must've been slowing him down. Rounding the corner to the Boiler Room and almost missing it completely, Chris looked for anything he could us as a weapon. The first thing his eyes feel upon were the bars used for repairing machines.

Walking over to them, he stopped next to the glass window. Through it, he could see stairs that seemed to wind miles down below. He didn't have much time he had to think fast. Suddenly he could feel Wesker's presence. Spinning around to face him, his face was bright red with weariness, or was it anger?

_Probably both._

"I will not be interrupted in killing you this time!" Wesker shrieked. He began to inch his way over to Chris.

Chris's eyes scanned the room, looking for anything that would help him. The Bars were to far away. There was nothing that he could do. Backing away, Chris's foot knocked over something. Looking down, he saw it was a can of gasoline used to power some of the machines. With every last once of strength he possessed, Chris heaved the can up to his chest. Unlatching it, the oily scent filled his head. Wesker, to focused on Chris, that he failed to see what he beared in his hands. Flinging his hands out, Chris saw the coppery liquid spill over Wesker's body and splash inhis face causing him to stop dead in his tracks. A trail of gas formed between Chris and Wesker.

Wesker's yellow eyes stared at him in shock, his teeth bared in anger. His catlike eyes widened when he saw what Chris had dug out of his pocket.

The white flame of Chris's lighter danced wildly in his outstretched, triumphant fist. He held the lighter with all of his might. Wesker seemed transfixed by the flickering blaze. Chris was oddly aware that his hand was shaking ever so slightly. Although his voice was strong as he spoke.

"Do me a favor Wesker," Chris whispered as he lowered the flame to the pool at his feet, "go back to hell."

The pool of gasoline ignited in a blaze of fury as the flame scorched it. Whipping through the trail and up Wesker's body, his body seemed to combust in a wave of fire. Howling out in agony, he became a human torch in a matter of seconds. His arms lashing out in front of him in one last attempt to kill Chris. The aroma of burnt flesh made Chris want to vomite.

Looking up, he could see the glow of Wesker's eyes. They seemed to burn like a demon through the flair. All his hair was now a wig of flames. Lurching forward, Wesker's black hands reached out to Chris. Ignoring the pain that shot through his leg, Chris jumped out of the way just in time.

A crash and a spray of glass as Wesker dove through the glass window that Chris once stood in front of. Like a match falling down a well, Wesker's inflamed body lite up the endless stairwell. Chris wasn't sure how long, but if felt like a century when he heard a sickening _thud_ at the bottom.

Gathering his wits, he took a deep breath. With all his might he managed to stand and limp toward the door.

_It was done._

He had killed the monster. The super tyrant was now a burnt up heap at the bottom of the lab. Chris didn't feel it, but tears of joy ran freely down his face. He felt a grin creep into him and forgot all of his pain.

Peeking into the main hall he saw Jill. She was kneeling on the floor, her head in her hands. He looked a few centimeters to the left. He saw that she had thrown up. Looking up, she met his gaze, her blue eyes giant.

"You're alive!" she breathed. Chris nodded and knelt down beside her. His strong arms wrapping around her.

"Chris, I'm so sorry, I think I blacked out for a minute," she sobbed into his chest. He pulled her away and placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Shhh. I know. He's dead."

"Dead?" she choked. "Really? Is he really dead?"

Chris nodded.

He looked down at her and their eyes locked. For the first time in years, he felt his heart flutter. It was as if he was a kid back in highschool. Before he knew what he was doing, his lips were brushing Jill's. She responded, and when the kiss ended he pulled away, Jill was smiling.

"We need to go," her voice was soft. Chris nodded in return and pulled her to her feet.

"Lets go wake up the others."

**_I I I_**

"Are you sure this is the right way?" Leon asked Steve as he held onto Claire weak body. Steve nodded.

"Positive."

Steve reached for a large, metal door. Jerking it open, it revealed a great jetplane on the other side..

"Will all of us fit?" Leon asked as he stared at the jet.

"We'll have to make everyone fit," Steve responded.

Leon looked over to Claire. Her eyes were closed and her head rolled from side to side when he moved. The parts of her body that weren't stained with blood were exceedingly pale. Her pink, cracked lips were slightly parted as she breathed through her mouth. If she took in too deep of a breath, she would wince.

"We need to get her out of here," Leon wrapped both arms around her. Steve grabbed the cargo door on the jet and yanked it open.

"Stick her in here. She'll be safe." Leon picked her up, and this time, she didn't object. This worried him.

Placing her softly inside Leon turned back around to meet Steve, who was clutching his arm. He turned back to Steve who was grabbing his wounded arm and leaning against the door. He looked up miserably at Leon.

"Lets get out of here," Steve wheezed.

"Not yet. We need to help the others."

Setting Claire down, he walked over to the door and picked up the rifle that Steve had held and handed it back to him. Knowing what he meant, he grabbed it and walked out the door. He had made it about three feet when he stopped.

"Hey Leon, take care of her."

Leon ignored the flaire of anger inside him and nodded as he watched Steve walk back to his friends.

_**To be continued. . .**_

_**A/N: well, I bet you all thought this was the final chapter? HA! But I've got the summer to write so don't worry, It won't take even half as long as this one did. It's not that great of a chapter but I really want a good ending. And I just didn't think I could cram it all in one chapter. So, not to worry, I'll have the next one up in a jiffy. And if I don't you can kill me.**_

_**Thanks**_

Dale: What can I say about you? You're just an awesome writer and I'm proud to say that I have

you to review my stories. I hope you never, EVER, give up writing as you are so awesome with

it and each and every one of your reviews as left a smile on my face. A BIG one.

Santiago: You are just the sweetest reviewer. You always know what to say. And I look forward

to seeing you review. That song? Was it working for the weekend? I really think I've heard it

before! But yeah, I cracked up when I read it, it just fit so perfectly. Anyway, you mean a lot to

this story, thanks for the review(s)

Angel Kitty: Here, yeah, I know I'm pretty terrible, but I promise it won't ever happen again. I'm

glad you liked this story, Thank you so much!

Dragon: I was really glad to hear that you didn't think my writing was vague. I always think that's

a problem I have. You made my bloody day telling me that. Thank you so much for that

awesome review!

Angel TIA: Really? You printed it out! How many pages did it come to? I've always wondered

that. I've been to your website and I was really flattered that you liked my story. I read over your

review about a 100 times! Thank you so much for making me believe I can write.

Jayne: Well, I bet you're happy that I didn't kill off Leon, at least not now anyway. I don't think I

will. But I hope you liked it. I'm very ecstatic that you liked my story. You have no idea what

these reviews mean to me. If I didn't get any like yours, I doubt I'd keep writing. Thanks a

bunch!

Legalese Kayo(Na) Leonard: What a nice thing to say! The fact that you thought this story was

powerful and that you even liked it made me have a big grin on my face. Leon is my favorite

character too. He's just so cool! Thanks for the review!

tre0220: Man! It sounds like you're having a real hard time. But I love a and the awesome things

you say. There wouldn't be any story without tre. And you make me smile. With all the chaos

that has been going on in your life, you still found time to read my story. I thank you for that.

Jo: What do you mean? You're not dead, you're still one of the best writers on the net! Don't

ever say that. That fact that you think my imagination in great is a HUGE complement coming

from you. And yes, Steve is pretty cool. Thank you so much!

Hater: Here, yeah, I didn't even expect Ada to go crazy, but hey, end the end it just fit. Even

more will be revealed! Thanks for the review.

Frenchly: Yeah, you know what I'm talking about with finals. But thank you. I really love what

you write about me. Thanks a million!

Sauce: Yes, Wesker pops up just like a jack in the box. But hey, as we all know, Wesker never

dies. He's like that smoking dude off the X files. But thank you for the review, even though

you're not a L/C shipper you still read my story, thank you.

Tifa Reified: Ha! I'm glad you liked that scene. You need to come back with your stories. Or

mail me if you already have. I haven't been on this site for EVER. But I hope you find time to

read this. You are by far one of the coolest people I've ever met online. I look forward to

reading your stuff. Because you are just so awesome. I always get a kick gutta a. And I hope

that you never ever stop writing because you are just the best writer ever. Thanks so much! And

I'll add a on my alert list!

Darryl-Flowers: Well, this one took even longer that I wanted it too. But I promise the next one

will be up like lightning. I have a bunch of free time now. But thanks for the review. You are so

awesome!

agent182: Agent, you are just so. . .just so. . . There are no words to describe how cool you are. I

started writing because you were motivating me to go again. And in someways you also helped

my writers block. I owe a lot to you. You need to post all of your fan Fics so I can read them. If

not for anyone else, then for me. I thank you a million, billion times!

Like I said, I'm not gonna rush the end so expect chapter 13 up sometime in the next week or so.


	13. Fight and flight

_**Sometimes they Come Back**_

_**By diddly day**_

_**Disclaimer: Not mine.**_

_**A/N: This story is finished. I know that 13 is an unlucky number. But hey, it works for me. WOO!**_

_**Chapter 13**_

Chris and Jill hobbled down the hall. Every bone in his body ached. If they ever made it out of here alive, Chris was going to take a years worth of vacation. They opened the door to where the entire gang lay passed out. Jill let out an exhale when she saw that the lot of them seemed to be coming around. He moved over to pick Sherry up when the door opened behind them.

"Where's Wesker?"a high voice asked behind them. Jill swung herself around.

"Who the hell are you?" Chris moved carefully around on his wounded leg.

"Steve," the boy said. "Leon and Claire are waiting for you. They're on a plane. Where's Wesker?" he asked again.

"He got kinda hot. He had to leave," Chris snorted. Steve looked very confused. "Help me take these guys down to the plane," he ordered. Steve and Jill worked together to move Carlos. Barry, thank goodness, was waking up pretty quickly.

It seemed to take them forever to move each one of their friends onto the plane. They met up with Leon who was stroking Claire's bloody head as she dozed with her head in his lap. Chris took a second to examine her wounds. He then remembered that it was Leon who caused all of this pain.

"What happened to you? You completely hammered my head in." Chris touched the sensitive spot on his head that was now glued with blood. Leon shook his head.

"It's a long story. I'm really sorry about that," Leon muttered and turned back to stroke his wife's head. "I'll never forgive myself," he whispered so low that Chris had to strain to hear him. Chris sat on the deck of the open plane with his head in his hands. This night was worse than Raccoon.

"Is that everyone?" Steve looked around. He and Jill decided to take on last look around before leaving. Jill nodded.

"Yeah, I think it's time to go home." She smiled at Steve. "Thank you. I know you loved Claire very much. Have you been working against them the whole time?"

"Yeah. I didn't think that Wesker would go this far. I thought I could warn you before it was too late." He put his bloody are over his eyes. "I don't know how I'll redeem myself now."

"Well, you're doing a very good job so far." He gave her a weak grin. They both turned to leave from the nightmare that was this Mansion.

_Squeak . . ._

Jill stopped. Turning over to Steve, she shot him a sideways glance. He stopped dead in his tracks and glared back. They both frowned.

"Did we forget someone?" Jill questioned. Steve's eyes searched hers.

_Squeak . . ._

"I don't think so," heanswered back. She saw him wet his moist lips and Jill was suddenly aware that she didn't have her gun.

_Squeak . . ._

_Squeak . . ._

_Squeak. . ._

Jill spun around quickly. Steve shadowed her actions. She saw out of the corner of her eye that his got wide. It took a moment for her to realize what was limping toward them. A black, charred figure hitched quickly after them. His eyes glowed a brilliant lemon. His white teeth like a vampire gleamed with his black face. Burnt flesh hung from his chin. His clothes looked like ash. His shoes scuffed against the white floor, leaving a stain of black following him.

_Squeak . . ._

_Squeak . . ._

"Oh my -" Jill started. The thing that was once Albert Wesker, her former Captain, lurched closer and closer. His grunts became louder and louder with every step.

"Run," Steve whispered in panic.

Both turned to run. Jill sprinted quickly toward the exit when she heard a loud wheeze. Snapping her head around, her eyes popped out of her head as she saw Wesker clutch Steve by the throat. All of his strength was apparently still there.

"You," The thing's smokey voice graveled out. "Die." Twisting his arm that was on Steve's throat, Jill heard a horrible crack. Steve's body fell to the ground. The bones stuck out of his skin where Wesker had broken his neck. Wesker then turned his eyes to Jill.

He had been alive no more than five seconds ago. Now the man who she was talking to lay dead on the ground. Without losing a beat, Jill whipped back around and jolted to the door as fast as she could. Behind her, she heard Wesker let out a growl. That noise made Jill run faster than she knew her legs could carry her.

_Oh, please. Don't let it end like this._

**_I I I_**

"Where are they? They should be back by now," Barry moaned groggily. Chris had a bad feeling. He shouldn't have let them leave on their own. But he could barely walk, let alone run. The only thing he could do now was get them out. Something in him broke as he walked to the door to look for them.

He almost ran right into Jill.

"Run!" she screeched in his face before he had time to ask what had happened.

"Where's Steve?" But he already knew the answer. A sick feeling flooded through him. He looked around the door where Jill had stumbled through, only to see a horrible shape briskly leering at them.

"Get in the plane now!" Chris ordered. The vast majority were all ready in there. With the exception of Barry, Jill, and himself. They followed him, stumbling onto the jet.

Before Chris had time to shut the door, Wesker's hands shot out. In desperation to kill anything, his hands found a faint Claire. Chris heard Leon shout in horror as Wesker seized his wife.

"No!" Claire awoke at the sound of Leon's shouts. Before she could do anything, Wesker's razor claw like hands lashed out and scraped Claire's neck.

Chris gunned it. Not wasting another second. Leon shut the door and they were up in the air. Away from the havoc that would plague their dreams forever.

"No, no, no!" Leon shouted again as he pulled a limp Claire into his arms. Her hollow eyes stared up at him.

"Leon!" Barry grabbed him back. "Don't touch her. We have to stop the bleeding." He sounded like Rebecca. Oh, how Chris wished Rebecca would wake up.

More dark crimson soaked his shirt. Chris tried to concentrate on flying the plane. He found he couldn't see. The tears were too thick.

"Leon, we have to put pressure on the wound." Jill's usually calm voice sounded petrified. Barry hauled Leon away from her and forced him to sit in a different seat.

"Help her!" Leon howled. "She can't die! We've come so far. Don't let her die!" Barry held Leon down as Jill worked on Claire the best she could.

"Chris, you better be a good piolet," Jill whispered to him in the small jet. Chris found that his hands were shaking. Between Jill's warnings and Leon's shrieks, Chris couldn't focus.

_You better focus. You're going to kill us all._

Chris shook that thought from his mind, and carefully blocked everything out.

Everything.

**_I I I_**

"Don't you let her die, Jill!" Leon cried as she struggled to keep Claire from bleeding to death. "It's my fault if she dies!"

"Leon, shut up!" Barry hissed. He knew that if that kind of burden was placed on Jill, she would be able to apply correctly to Claire.

"Get away from me, Barry!" Leon snarled.

"There's too much blood. I need a towel!" Jill shouted over her shoulder. Just then, Barry found that Leon was becoming increasingly hard to control. He violently swung his body into Barry in an attempt to knock him off his feet.

"Uh oh. Adrenalin rush to the max," Barrygrunted as Leon rocked all of his force into him.

Barry tripped over Sherry's sleeping form and he fell into the plane. The jet rolled sideways for an instant. Chris was good. He got the plane back under control in a matter of seconds.

"Stop it!" Chris hollered back at them.

Leon, however, was stripping off his shirt. Kneeling before Claire, he handed the shirt to Jill, who took it without a word. Jill put pressure on Claire neck. The shirt started to become black with the blood. Leon plunged his head in his hands. Barry watched as Leon broke down in front of them. He had no idea what had happened after they had been led away and put into the cell. But by the look of Chris, Jill, Leon and Claire, it must've been hell.

"Please don't die Claire," he whispered into his hands. "I need you."

The plane became desperately still. Barry watched on as Chris tried to keep the jet from crashing into a mountain. Jill as she worked to keep Claire alive, and Leon as he strained to stop himself into having a metal breakdown. They flew in silence. In that moment, the silence lasted forever.

**_I I I_**

A soft chair had never felt so good. Jill exhaled and tilted her head backwards and looked up at the ceiling of the small hospital. Most of the Doctors spoke Italian, but they knew English pretty well. Even some who didn't knew broken English. They had arrived sometime around three in the morning.

Chris had landed the plane pretty well. After Leon had calmed down and everyone awoke from their coma, they were able to make it to the nearest Hospital with very few injuries. Jill had very little to be done to her. She had made it out pretty well without almost killing herself in the process.

Kill.

Steve . . . Jill didn't know how she was going to tell Claire that her long lost friend was dead. At the hands of Wesker. It had been so fast. Like snapping a twig. It hadn't seemed like he died in slow motion, nor did it seem dramatic. Quite the opposite. Flat and quick. Closing her eyes, she saw how ghastly his face had become. How the gross sound of his bones cracked under Wesker's hand. What was she going to say to the group?

By far, the one who came out worst throughout this night, was Claire. She was almost dead. The gash in her neck wasn't as deep as they all feared. She was able to undergo surgery. Nonetheless, she was still in that surgery. Chris and Leon prayed while the rest held their breath. If she died, she didn't know what Chris would do. Or worse . . . Leon. Claire was his lifeline, and if she died, then he died right along with her.

Leon was the second worst. Although, he was still very much alive. He needed a few stitches here and there. But he would be fine. Chris was scared he would walk with a limp for the remainder of his life. That was a great possibility. But at least he would live, and that was enough to make Jill believe she could get through. All she needed was Chris.

Everyone else seemed like they would be okay. It was a great relief. Aside from the scares they would suffer from this ordeal. They made it through the Spencer Estate, Raccoon, Rock Fort, and whatever the hell Rebecca went through when her helicopter went down, marking the first chapter in the Umbrella conspiracy. They could make it through this. They were tough.

Chris rolled next to her in his wheelchair. Fresh bruises struck now on his face. He looked drained. He placed a rough hand over hers.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand.

"Yeah. What about you? Will you ever walk again?" Jill joked. He nodded.

"Of course, but I'll probably never be able to run long distance again." Chris frowned. He could've been frowning about so many things. "Claire's out of the ER."

"How is she?" Jill felt suddenly very worried. Chris looked down and shook his head.

"I guess she'll make it. Thank goodness the Doctors didn't ask questions. As far as they know, we're just a bunch of American's that showed up and caused havoc in their hospital and three o'clock in the morning."

"What about Leon?" Jill was suddenly afraid to bring him up.

"He told me what happened. I guess he was injected with the rage virus."

"No!" she hushed. Jill could feel her heart race.

"Yeah, and Claire was able to help him, but he did most of that damage to her. I don't think he'll ever be able to forgive himself."

"But it wasn't him. It was just some monster, right?" Chris nodded.

"But I don't think Leon's going to see it that way. He'll probably get depressed and need to go see a therapist. That all depends if Claire lives or dies. If she dies . . . "

Chris trailed off. Jill knew what he was thinking. It made her sick to think about it.

"Where is he?" Chris pointed to a room down the hall. "I don't think you should go see her. Leon's in there."

Jill stopped. The scene that was going on in that room was probably one of heartache as Leon watched his wife struggle to stay alive. Just looking at the room, she could feel the guilt radiating out of it. Chris gripped her hand again, forcing her to look at him. She turned to look at him, seeing that spark in his eyes.

"Stay with me?" he asked.

She nodded and her lips met his. At least one good thing happened tonight. They pulled apart after a while.

"What happens now?" she asked him. He looked her up and down.

"Good things I hope."

She smiled and kissed him again. At last, things seemed to be going in the right direction. And that direction was not heading to hell.

**_I I I_**

"You're home early!" Claire threw her arms around her husband. Leon had to be careful not to squeeze too hard. It had only been six months since that horrific night, however, Claire was still tender.

"Yep. I got Larry to cover my shift." He pulled her into a deep kiss. "Happy anniversary," he grinned at her.

"You too. I'm just glad you didn't forget." Leon stepped backwards in shock.

"Me? Forget? Never!" Claire tilted her head back and laughed. It sounded like bells ringing.

She had almost died. Leon had never been so scared in his life. He remembered sitting by her bedside. Holding her hand. Hoping she would wake up like last time. But she didn't. She had lost a lot of blood. Every fiber the strength that she held in that strong body of hers had vanished. It wasn't until day's later that she woke up and stared at him with her glassy eyes.

He had thought the ordeal was over. That was a lie. It hadn't gone because Leon thought about it all the time. He thought about it in the shower before he went to work. He thought about it when he ate dinner. He thought about it at night as he watched Claire sleep. Claire had been physically damaged, but emotionally, Leon was the broken one. For what seemed like forever after the incident, he couldn't kiss Claire without thinking of the pain he had caused her.

It had been hard on their marriage. Claire begged with him to forgive himself. She swore she'd leave him if he continued to cringe when she kissed him. But she was always bluffing. He began to close himself off from everyone. Anger filled him. He hated himself. He was no better than that thing Ada made him. He felt foolish for falling for her horrible trick. This was, in his eyes, all his fault. No one could help him. He was better off just staying away from everyone, even Claire. That was until one day.

_He came home early. Claire was nowhere to be found. He looked in the garage. He looked in their bedroom. He even looked in the basement where they never, ever went. Then he passed the bathroom. A soft sob came behind the door. It brought him back to that first time he saw her crying at Chris's table. The first time he saw her cry._

_Placing his hand on the door, he gently pulled it open. Claire sat on the toilet. Her head in her hands. Shoulders shaking with light cries. He didn't know what she was crying for. But then he saw the two small suitcases by her feet. Realization hit him over the head and shattered like glass, and his broken heart. She was going to leave him._

_"If you're going to leave, you'd better go before rush-hour," he spat out of anger. Shame almost knocked him off his feet when he reached what he'd said._

_Her head shot up out of her hands. The look on her face told him she hadn't known he was there. He stared back at her, determined not to give in to her sweet eyes. 'Stay mad, just stay mad.' he thought and continued to glare at her. If she wanted to leave him, then let her go. The back of his mind shouted desperately in rejection._

_"Well? Aren't you going to leave?" his voice came out rougher than he would've liked._

_Claire's red smudged face looked up at him with sorrow. Shamefully, she bent her head and looked at her lap._

_"I can't," she sniffed. "I want to, but I can't . . . I love you too much." She covered her eyes again and gave out a silent sob._

_Leon was beginning to break. He loved her too. He loved her more than he loved anyone or anything. Staring at her on the toilet weeping was not one of his favorite pictures. Yet, he didn't know what to do. He'd just made a jerk out of himself, what should he say? So he did nothing. His eyes still cast down at her._

_She looked up quickly._

_"Who are you?" It came out in her cries. Her words stuck him low. Who was he? He wasn't the man she married. He had wallowed in self-pity, striking out at everyone he loved most. Especially his wife._

_Watching her smashed image, all the anger, guilt, shame, and hurt that he had been drowning in the last two months flooded out of him. It was replaced by burning love. Dropping to his knees before her, he wrapped his arms around her. She tucked her arm into her chest and away from him. The action hurt, but he knew he deserved it._

_"Shhh. Please don't cry. You know I hate it when I make you cry." He pulled her closer to him, causing her to drop off of her seat._

_"Do you hate me? When I kiss you, you turn away. When I touch you, you stiffen. When I say I love you, your eyes fill with tears. Do you hate me?" her voice was muffled against his chest._

_He smelled her hair and swallowed the lump in his throat. He had tried not to hurt her, instead he had rejected her. When she kissed him, he thought about when she had almost died. When she touched him, it made him remember how she had gripped onto him as all of her strength left her. And when she said she loved him, he felt unworthy. If she hadn't of loved him, they would've of married, she would not have almost gotten killed on his account. That thought always made him cry._

_"No. I'll never hate you. I can't hate you." __He kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry," he broke out._

_"Then why?"_

_"I thought I was protecting you. From myself. Instead I neglected you." he could feel burning in his throat and stinging in his eyes. "I love you." Tears clouded his vision._

_Her arms uncoiled from her chest. She snaked her long fingers around his head, hugging him closer to her._

_"I needed you," she whispered._

_"I know," he hushed into her hair. "I let you down."_

_"I still need you." She pulled her face away from his chest. Looking at him with her cool, grey eyes. "Promise me . . . Promise me you'll never shut me out like that again."_

_"I'll never shut you out. Ever." He traced his fingers along her face._

_"You'll come with me to see a therapist?" She licked her lips._

_"Anything you want. You'll stay? You'll forgive me?" he questioned. Claire gave him a watery smile._

_"There's nothing to forgive." _

_As soon as the words left her mouth, Leon kissed her. There was no doubt, or unworthiness behind this kiss. There was no anger or pain. No resentment or self loathing. Just love. Pure love and warmth. He'd forgot how wonderful it felt to kiss her soft lips. Always whispering words of love in her ear as he carried her to the bedroom._

After that day, he vowed he'd be a better husband. He went to therapy with Claire, which surprisingly helped a great deal. Also making an effort to constantly remind her how much he loved her. How he would never let anything like that happen to her ever again. So far he was good on his word. And that's what he planned on.

"Earth to Leon!" Claire shouted, snapping him out of his trance and memories. "You've got that serious look on your face. What were you thinking about?"

"You won't leave me, will you?" he burst out. She suddenly looked like the serious one. The look on her face registered that she knew what he was thinking.

"You were thinking about our fight? Leon, that was four months ago." She stepped next to him and grasped his arm lovingly. "No, I won't."

"Good. I still worry sometimes." He smiled at her again.

"You've got to get over it. I wasn't serious. I thought I was. We had a rough patch in our marriage. If we can get through that, we can get through anything." She kissed him softly.

"How good you are to me, Claire." She laughed. The therapy was helping him. He now knew it wasn't his fault. And he had Claire to thank for everything. "One year. Can you believe we've been married one year?"

"My, how it flew by." She touched his cheek.

"That could be a poem."

"So," she raised her eyebrow slyly at him. "How do you want to start our anniversary?" He grinned back coyly.

"Oh, I don't know." He pulled her legs up behind him and sat her down on the couch. His lips roamed over hers. "How about like this?" He kissed her throat. She hummed.

"I like this." Love was all they needed. They could get through everything.

Chris and Jill were now dating. Everyone seemed to be back on track. Carlos and Rebecca seemed to enjoy each others company a great deal. Barry was somewhere, cuddled up with his wife. Sherry was probably now having that time of her life in France with her aunt. Claire had been sad when she found out that Steve was dead. They all held a small manorial for him. Claire said the nicest things about him, since she knew him the best. It had been sad. But he'd saved them all. They would never forget him.

But there was still the Mansion. It was up there. In the mountains. Waiting. Was Wesker still there? Waiting for someone to come along and unleash him? Did he die of the wounds Chris gave him? So many questions, so little answers. Perhaps they would find out in due time. But until then, Leon couldn't worry. All he could do was stay here with Claire and pray for the best.

He kissed her again. Full of lust and love. A deadly combination. Darkness had consumed most of their lives. Although, every bad thing came to an end. The light now shined down on them in such brilliance that Leon felt it in every kiss he gave. Life would go on. He would live to serve her and their family. No longer would he live in fear, he would live in love. The storm was over. Outside, the purple, orange, and red skies reflected the ravishing beauty that Leon Kennedy's life had become.

_**The End**_

_**A/N: Done! Hahaha! I know I went from point A to Z very quickly but this chapter is over 10 pages long and I had to wrap it up. But I hope you all enjoyed. I really loved writing this. You haven't seen the last of me. I will continue to write RE fics none stop. Now I can put all of my attention into Darkest Hour. I know exactly what I'm going to do for that. But thank you all for reading my story. To all those who stuck through the end. AKA: Tifa, Dale, Tre, **_

Agent182, and Santiago, you're my reason for going on! THIS STORY IS FOR YOU!

BlizzardAngel: Hey thank for the awesome review. I love getting reviews, you must've had to dig for this story. But it was a pleasant surprise. Thank you so much!

EVIL: Dude, it's just a story. I wrote it under the space of a year. I wanted to make Leon mad so I had Steve say that to him. And Steve wasn't working for them, he was a spy, sort of. But I'm glad you reviewed and that you seemed to partly enjoy it. You RULE!

Angel Tifa: Yo! Thanks dude. I'm really happy you liked it. I know, my printer sucks too. But you are such a sweet person! Yeah, I like Chris and Jill, they just fit! But I thank you for all of your support, and just the fact that you printed it out puts you on my COOL list. That list is very elite. Thank a bunch.

Tifa Redfield: What can I say from the girl who had my heart at hello? Hey, I wanted to ask you if you tried to chat with me the other night? (By other night I mean a few weeks ago) I was talking and my computer freaked out and I got kicked off. I'm really sorry if it seemed like I was snubbing you. I didn't mean to do that at all. You also asked if I was LDS. And YES, I am LDS (I'll bet I get flamed for that). You're Islamic?(is that spelled right?) That is very cool. I've always have had a respect of your beliefs. You are a very humble religion. But thank you so much for reviewing each chapter. You've been my rock. This story was built on you. I will never forget how sweet you are. Thank you a million times over.

Agent182:What an awesome writer you are! I love how you've stuck by me and have made me blush time after time. I hope you never give up your talent. Some of the best books I've ever read have been books that weren't big, and if no one reads your fic, that their loss. You have no idea how much I love reading your stories as well as reviews. You rock my world.

Jayne1: You have been just the sweetest reviewer. I love you! I hope you don't hurt me for killing off Steve. But hey, he died once, maybe he'll come back! I might continue and do a sequel, but I need to think of a story first. But thanks again. And as always you rule!

Dragon43: You make me blush with you sweet words. I thought you might like Ada dying. In an odd way, most people did. That kind of scares me and makes me laugh at the same time. Thank you so much for your awesome reviews. I love you baby!

tek: Sorry you couldn't sleep. I started to laugh when I read you review. You have a very good sense of humor. I know, I was terrible with the updates. I was going through kind of a hard time. But you people made it so much better. I'm thankful for reviewers like you. And no, I'm not just saying that to be nice. The truth is, I'm not very good with words and when I read all of those nice things you say , I don't know what to say back. Thank you.

Santiago: Hehe, you and I seem to have the same taste in music. I love 80's music. But that's just me. I have to say, you are one of the people that I've look forward to the most when you review my stories. You make me laugh, cry, and so forth. I don't think you will ever know how much I love to read what you write. I and hope you continue writing or updating so I can stick you on my favorites list. Thanks a ton! (and your art ROCKS)

tre0220: Dude, I almost cried when you wrote me that you'd always make time to read my stories. You have such a beautiful taste in writing. I love your poetry. I hope you continue to make a hobby or career out of it. You are an artist through and through. I just hope you never stop making me smile. Love ya lots. You were the first person who reviewed my story and I'll never forget that. Thank you.

Dale: You just know how to wet my appetite for good writing. And you last chapter inspired me to write this. I'm not lying. I was kinda feeling down until I read your chapter. And There is a spoon after all. Not like that little bald kid in the Matrix. But you made me laugh when I read that. I'm just glad you stuck through this hard time of no updates, with you updating all the time, I had my Leon and Claire fix! Thanks a bunch for everything you've done!

Darkchild2010: Write a fic. If you have then tell me so I can read it! I know you'll be an awesome writer. You've left such cool reviews, I really don't know what to say. I get all weepy when I end something like this. I thank you a hundred, thousand, million times over.

PEACE OUT!

_**diddly day**_


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